Rise of the Extraordinary Avengers - Coreline
by OrionPax09
Summary: The Core Timeline is an amalgamation of chaos. The so-called real world has been overlapped with the realms of movies, comic books, anime, and more. Fanfictions have literally come to life. And in the city of Chicago, Mari "Captain America" Makinami must rally a new team of Avengers to save the city once again...
1. Some Assembly Required

Disclaimer: I do not own Evangelion, any of the characters or concepts depicted here, or anything associated with them. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Rise of the Extraordinary Avengers

Chapter 1: Some Assembly Required

It was early in the afternoon as Mari Illustrious Makinami lay in her bed, allowing herself a brief period of peace and quiet to contemplate her current situation. As she studied the ceiling of her new home, she couldn't help but feel out of sorts. For the Fourth of July was very nearly upon her once more.

One year. It had almost been one year since her first encounter with the Joker R gang and the Golden Four. A year since she had almost singlehandedly ruined their scheme to unleash a powerful combination of gammeroids and TITAN that would have transformed all who were affected it into massively powerful Titan-monsters, and even worse, would have given Goldie Musou, the leader of the Golden Four, the means necessary to brainwash everyone who had been affected as soon as they were reverted, allowing her to dominate the city as never before. A year since Mari had fought alongside her surrogate uncle Steve Rogers, an alternate of Captain America, putting an end to another Goldie's cruel schemes and saving Avengers Infinity and New York City from almost certain destruction. And almost a year since she had been invited to join the ranks of the Avengers, the first member of a new division of Avengers Infinity; the Extraordinary Avengers.

And as Mari continued to look about at her new surroundings, trying to tune out the labor of the people still working to make her new home complete, she found herself thinking of everything that had happened since the last Fourth of July. Of all the changes she and others had gone through. Of...

A soft warbling sounded for Mari's attention, causing her eyes to go wide as she practically fell off the bed in surprise. "Wha-?!" she started, confused for a moment until she realized what the sound meant. "Oh, right!"

Reaching into the pocket of her dress, Mari withdrew her Avengers ID Card, which continued to flash and warble for her attention. Realizing that it wasn't a call for her or her team to assemble, she frowned slightly even as she pressed the button...and had her frown completely erased. "Hey, Uncle Steve!"

"Hi, Mari!" returned the alternate of Steve Rogers that had befriended her in a time of need and whom she had ultimately grown as close as family to. "Hope I didn't catch you at a bad time."

"No. I was just relaxing a bit after spending some time in the gym," Mari replied with a soft smile. "Anything interesting happening in New York?"

"Aside from the usual?" Steve wondered with a friendly expression. "Well, it turns out that Amora - Doom's wife? She's expecting."

The instant this was said, Mari's eyes went wide with delight. "No way! Sensei's going to be a mother?! Are you kidding me?!"

"Not at all. We just found out about it," Steve reported with a broad smile. "You should have seen Victor when he got the news. I thought he was going to pass right out."

Despite her present situation, Mari couldn't help but issue a chuckle over this. Victor and Amora were heroic alternates of the notorious villains Dr. Doom and the Enchantress, and were not only teachers of hers, but people she considered good friends in Avengers Infinity. They and other members of the Astonishing Avengers, a division of Avengers Infinity that consisted of heroic versions of known villains, had done much to help Mari deal with many of the issues she had been forced to deal with since her arrival in the Core Timeline, and Amora had taught her much about magic and more during her time in Avengers Academy. "Oh, wow!" Mari couldn't help but say, thinking of the handsome and controlled version of Doom she had befriended. "I - I can't even imagine him passing out like that!"

"Nor could I. Before today, that is," Steve admitted with a tiny laugh. "Still, I'm a bit surprised by this bit of news."

"The only thing that surprises _me_ is that it took _this_ long for it to happen!" Mari declared with a roll of her eyes even as she thought of the many, _many_ times she had dealt with either of them in her time at the Infinite Avengers Tower, and her super-sensitive nose had made it clear that they had recently been doing the dirty. "So...when is their little bundle of joy going to arrive? Is it the usual nine month trip, or does it take longer for Asgardians?"

"She should be delivering sometime this winter," Steve reported easily. "Anyway, we're already making preliminary plans to throw a baby shower for her and Doom."

"The standard three-day deal?" Mari wondered, recalling the two baby showers she had seen during her time at the Tower. Because of the sometimes hectic life a superhero, it was all-too-likely that one or more of the invited members to the shower would miss the appointed event, and so things like baby showers and such events were spread out over a three-day period to allow for as many Avengers as possible to attend at least one of the three days.

"Absolutely," Steve confirmed with a nod. "So I hope you and at least some of the others on your team will be able to attend."

"Oh, it's a done deal!" Mari assured him, managing a slight smile for her surrogate uncle. "Just be sure to let me know when it's all going down, and I'll be sure to pick up something nice for the little, uh..."

"We don't know what's on the way just yet," Steve explained with a shrug. "We only just found out that she's expecting recently."

"Well, just let me know what kind of bundle of joy we're dealing with here, and I'll pick up something nice for him - her - them - whatever," Mari declared with a wan smile, glad to hear of the happiness impending for two of her friends among the Astonishing Avengers, "So, anything else interesting happen since we left the nest and headed out here to Chicago?"

Steve smiled thoughtfully at this. "Getting a little homesick, Mari?"

"Uh...not exactly," Mari replied hesitantly even as she studied the gorgeous room that was hers and hers alone. A room that was such a vast improvement over the tiny little space she had once called her when she had been living, just as the Avengers Mansion she now lived in, under construction as it was, was worlds apart from the hastily converted warehouse she and her friend and companion from the world of her origin, Maria Vincennes, aka Thunderstrike, had been living in prior to joining the Avengers. "I mean, the Mansion's great and everything...more than enough room to stow all of the stuff Goldilocks and I have..."

"Including all of the novelties from that had been left in that old warehouse for you to deal with," Steve noted with a hint of disapproval. "Seriously, I thought you were going to dispose of all that stuff!"

"Sorry, Uncle Steve, but I wound up promising your Hawkeye that I wouldn't do that...after he did a lot of bowing and scraping, that is," Mari replied, rolling her eyes at how quick that particular Avenger had been to throw out his dignity to guarantee she didn't dispose of the kind of novelties that were now virtually impossible to find anywhere. "Besides...and I have to be totally honest here. I had a lot of fun setting up and running that haunted house Goldilocks and I set up a couple years ago. I was toying with the idea of setting up something similar this year. Not only would it be fun, but...hey, it'd make for some great PR for the new team."

"You and your team already have good PR. That was the whole point of setting you up in Chicago," Steve reminded her. "You'd won over the people there after what happened last year, so we knew that they'd accept you there. And since we didn't have a team of Avengers stationed in Chicago -"

"I know, I know. I remember all that," Mari promised him, thinking about the discussions leading up to the big decision to move her team of Extraordinary Avengers to the Windy City. After she had taken down two of the worst gangs in residence there and made a speech that she didn't think she could even get out in the first place, let alone repeat or top in the future, she had managed to win the acceptance of the people there. And acceptance was a rare thing for a Mari Illustrious Makinami alt in the crazy mish-mash of worlds that was the Core Timeline, given how they were generally perceived as lunatics at best and outright disasters at worst. And the fact that she also bore the name of Captain America, a title she had received and upheld in the world of her origin, somehow had seemed to make things even worse for her. Like they somehow took it as an insult that she would even try to bear such a title, try and live up to the name and legacy of the legendary hero. "But...we seem to be getting off-topic here, Uncle. So seriously, anything else happening back in New York?"

Clearly not satisfied with this, Steve ultimately shrugged. "Not much. Things have been relatively quiet; the quiet before the storm, I'm certain," he replied helplessly. "Our team just got back from a joint operation with a team from Justice League Unlimited. Shut down another version of the Injustice Gang."

"Ooh, that must've been a party!" Mari declared with a tinge of regret. "Wish I could've been there for it!"

"So do I," Steve admitted. "Unfortunately, the responsibilities of leadership come before everything else. And you have a team of your own that you need to get off the ground. And you and I both know you have your duties to your team. Especially now, with so much work to do in getting it properly established."

"And speaking of getting things established...how's the Extraordinary Avengers division at the Tower coming alone?" Mari wondered with genuine curiosity. "Pick up some more new recruits since we made room in the nest?"

"Everything's going well with our newest division. And our new recruiting program has found plenty of excellent candidates," Steve assured her with a broad smile. "Let's see...we've got couple alternates of Misato Katsuragi who became She-Hulks, a Street Fighter Ryu who gained the power of Iron Fist and an alternate of Guile that was mutated by Bison, came to call himself Justice, as well as an alt of Samus Aran who goes by War Machine..."

"Whew, that sounds like a pretty impressive lineup!" Mari admitted. "But...a _couple_ She-Hulk Misatos?" Steve nodded in response. "That's getting to be a pretty popular combination. So, let me guess; they met their mutation in the Jet Alone robot?"

"That's right. Both of them," Steve confirmed with a wry look.

"Figures," Mari noted. "I actually knew a She-Hulk Misato back in my own world. I wonder if there's any chance one of them is from where I came from?"

"Anything's possible, though I'd advise you not to get your hopes up," Steve told her in a cautionary manner. "Also, we've gotten a Keitaro Urashima who bonded with the Venom symbiote and became a special agent, a Sari Dumdac going by the name of Yellowjacket, and a Conrad S. Hauser - you might know him better as Duke - who was put through the Super Soldier process."

"A GI Joe Captain America, huh? Wow, _he_ must be popular!" Mari declared as she thought of alternates of the famous GI Joe hero. But even as she did, she found herself frowning, for it reminded her of something that had been bothering her off and on for a while now. "Uh, actually, Uncle Steve...that reminds me. There's been something I've been meaning to ask you," she began with a trace of anxiety. "Do you really think that _me_ being the leader of this team was such a great idea?"

A beat passed as Steve's smile faltered somewhat. "I know it's what your _team_ wanted, Mari," he assured her. "Thunderstrike, Iron Maiden, and the others, they all agreed that you should be in charge of this team."

"I know, back at the Tower!" Mari thinking back to a time that felt like an eternity ago. "But things have changed so much since then, Uncle Steve! We're not at the Tower anymore! And..."

As Mari trailed off, Steve gave her a sympathetic look. "Been butting heads with some of the newer members, huh?"

"Fsh. Like every single day now," Mari admitted with a tone of weariness. "Lately, it feels like it's just been one argument after another!"

"Can't say I'm surprised. But this happens, Mari," Steve assured her in a quiet, calm manner. "I've seen this with every team that's been together since we first landed in the Core Timeline. And every time, some...assembly is required." When Mari let out a low groan, her surrogate Uncle went on to say, "We discussed this before you even left the Tower, Mari. So you know that I'll be glad to help you in any way I can. But at the end of the day, it's _you_ that has to earn their respect. No one else can do it for you."

"I know, I know. But...well, if it was just that, then maybe things wouldn't be such a pain! But it's not!" Mari went on, the dams she had put in place over her grievances loosening. "I've got two members that I can't do _anything_ about! One of them locked himself in his quarters as soon as we arrived and hasn't left them once! He has his partner fetch his meals for him! And speaking of said partner, we've had precisely five conversations since she's joined the team, and each and every one of them has ended with her comparing me to a nerf herder before proceeding to completely ignore everything I've said! And on top of that, the Mansion isn't even finished yet, our vehicles are -!

"Wait, what?" Steve frowned, his brows furrowing as he broke in. "Construction's fallen behind? By how much?"

"The foreman in charge says that it'll be another two weeks at _least_ before the Mansion itself is complete! And that's not even counting all the defense systems!" Mari hurriedly explained. "I already called Tony to tell him about it, but it'll take time to send more workers and equipment to compensate! And until then, the only things keeping every supervillain, scumbag, and squatter in Chicago from making a march on the Mansion is the cloaking field we've got surrounding it and Tai monitoring everything using the _American Dream's_ scanners!" A beat passed before she added, "And if we were to wind up having a firefight on our own front lawn with people still working here..."

As this point sank into Steve's mind, he frowned heavily. "Hmm...that's not good," he slowly admitted. "Can't your team compensate for the problems? With all the talent you have there, you should be able to finish things up soon enough"

"We've already been assisting the work crew's where we can, but we've run into a few problems," Mari was forced to admit. "We've been able to get away with working on the building's structure itself, but stuff like the micro circuitry and hardware for all of the essential systems is a whole different story! It's electronic systems and high-end machinery like that that's _really_ slowing us down here!" Then she made a face and added, "Plus, we've had some...disagreements about the design of the Mansion and it's defense systems..."

"Design? What -?" Steve started, only to groan in realization. "Oh, right. That."

"Yeah. _That,_ among other things," Mari groaned wearily. "Also, our Infinity Door still isn't up and running, so we can't access the Tower from here."

Steve's face became that much graver. The Mansion Mari and her team now lived in, like all other Avengers Mansions located throughout Coreline, were connected to the Infinite Avengers Tower through a series of portals called Infinity Doors. This made it simplicity itself for any group of Avengers anywhere to get easy reinforcements from the Tower or even other Mansions...assuming that the Infinity Door in question happened to be working. "That could be a serious problem," Steve admitted, clearly not liking the sound of that at all. "Still, if you ever really need help, you still have Thunderstrike. She can easily create a portal to here if you need us."

"I know, but...her portals won't let us directly access the Tower, thanks to all the security in place to prevent uninvited guests from dropping by," Mari grumbled somberly. "And...well, I know that if things get _really_ serious, I can always contact the Champions for backup..."

"Yes, you can," Steve confirmed with a nod. "And you can't tell me that you can't think of ways that a gamma mutant, three Kryptonians, a Martian, an Amazon, two Atlanteans, an alternate of Captain Marvel, an alternate of Vision, as well as the others they have there can take the sting out of a bad situation."

"Oh, I can think of _several_ ways, in fact," Mari assured Steve. Only to sigh as she lowered her eyes somewhat. "Except the one I'm dealing with right now..."

Frowning that much more, Steve returned, "Has something happened, Mari? Something serious?"

"Well...that depends on your definition of serious," Mari eventually replied, only to heave a large sigh. "Okay, I admit it. I'm in big trouble here, and I have no idea how to get out of it."

"What kind of trouble?" Steve wondered. "Has something happened?"

"No, but it's _going_ to," Mari replied with grim certainty. "The Joker R gang and maybe the Golden Four are going to attack City Hall on the Fourth of July and probably kill a whole lot of people while they're at it."

Steve's eyes expanded in shock at this. "Wait, _what?!"_ he demanded, staring in disbelief at the girl he had taken as his niece. "Mari, how do you know that?!" he wondered. "Have you had a run-in with them or -?"

"No, nothing like that," Mari admitted with a pensive look. "Fact is, the Joker R gang has been keeping pretty quiet lately. Same with the Golden Four."

"Then how do you know they're going to attack City Hall?" Steve wondered perplexedly.

"Because that's where _I'm_ gonna be on the Fourth," Mari responded. When Steve just looked at her in clear confusion, she sighed and declared, "I might as well start at the beginning."

"That might help," Steve admitted.

Heaving another sigh, Mari explained, "As you know, the Governor is one of the people Avengers Infinity had to notify when we decided to establish our new team here in Chicago so we could start building the Mansion. So this morning, I was trying to deal with another problem when we got a call from him, telling me that he wanted me over at his office right away." As Steve opened his mouth, she went on to say, "And before you ask, yes, I've been staying indoors ever since we've moved in. We've _all_ confined ourselves to the Mansion as much as possible, and I _did_ use the decoy exit we set up at the Meta Hotel, just in case I had to go out for something." Pausing at this, Mari thought of the Meta Hotel, one of many established to cater to superhumans or metahumans or whatever it was people called them. They had beds to support a gamma mutant and rooms designed to withstand the more lively guests engaging in a night of passion. And through some serious trickery on their part, they had made it look like that was where Mari was staying in the event she needed to reveal her presence in Chicago. "Anyway, when I got to his office and asked me what was so important that he needed to talk to me about, he told me that, in honor of everything I've done for the city of Chicago, and to celebrate the fact that drug-related crimes are at an all-time low, he was holding a ceremony in my honor as which he would present me with the Key to the City on the Fourth of July."

As these words sank in, Steve frowned unhappily. "Oh, boy..."

"That's one way of putting it!" Mari declared with a touch of annoyance. "It's like an open invitation to the Joker R gang and the Golden Four! Holding a big ceremony like this on the Fourth of July, the one-year anniversary of the night I pretty much curb-stomped each and every last one of them before they could even scream for mercy, sent them to jail, and fried Goldie's brains in the process! It's not enough that both gangs had already busted out of jail, or that they hate my guts and want me dead, or that they were _already_ likely to try something on the Fourth of July because of what happened, but to hold a big ceremony in my name and give me some dumb award with all those people in attendance?! He's practically _begging_ for them to try something big, nasty, and liable to end in a lot of people winding up _dead!"_

"Agreed," Steve nodded sourly. "Did you try explaining this to the Governor?"

"I did, and everything I said went in one ear and right out the other," Mari declared with a sour expression. "He went on and on about how the drug trade was at an all-time low in Chicago, down even lower than it was back before the Vanishing, how great everything is and all the good it's doing for his approval ratings, and...well, I think you get the idea."

"Politics. A publicity stunt," Steve groaned, clearly having had his own dealing with politicians. "What about his security precautions?"

"Pretty much the same as last year, which means they're basically useless," Mari grumbled sourly. "He also said he was going to have the Champions there to provide security, but we've had some new villains appearing on the Line here recently. Like this crew of nasties calling themselves the Horrorshow, and trust me, from what I've seen of them, they _more_ than live up to their name. So...yeah. They might have their hands full already."

"I see," Steve nodded, clearly understanding Mari's dilemma. "So if you and your team were to engage the Joker R gang and Golden Four, given what we know of them, you could certainly beat them...but not without putting the public at large at risk, or revealing that Chicago now has its own team of Avengers."

"At which point we'll have every creep in town trying to find our nice new home," Mari confirmed. "And when they find out that we don't even have anything better than a cloaking shield that makes our place look like a regular construction site and a burglar alarm to keep out unwanted guests, we're going to have some serious problems." Frowning unhappily, she then sat up in her bed and added, "And...well, maybe this seems stupid, but I'd _really_ rather not call in the Champions unless I _absolutely_ have to. Because...well, if I did that, then...I might as well tell everyone here right to their faces that I don't trust them to get the job done. That I don't believe in them. And like you once told me -!"

"Trust is a two-way street," Steve nodded somberly. "And you're right. Something like that could very easily damage the team."

Nodding to this, Mari heaved a deep sigh. "So that's where I stand now. I can see a bunch of things I _can_ do, but they all end _badly!_ And...I can't think of a way around it." Shaking her head slowly, the younger Super Soldier then grumbled, "Key to the City...what the hell do you even _do_ with a Key to the City?! It's a great big key to _nothing!_ What good is _that?!"_

"Mari..." Steve began.

"Now, medals, I get," Mari went on, complaining just for the sake of it. "They're nice, they're a convenient size, and they make great fashion accessories that don't get in your way if you suddenly have to kick some ass! But a Key to the City?"

"Mari," Steve tried again with a bit more force.

"If they _have_ to give me an oversized key, why couldn't they give me a Key _blade?"_ Mari continued. "Now _those_ are practical! Great for fighting, casting magic spells, countering evil brainwashing, and -!"

 _"Mari!"_ Steve very nearly shouted, and very nearly knocking her to the floor in the process. When she recovered and looked back at her card. "Look...I understand your concerns. And you're right; you have a serious problem on your hands, and there's a lot of ways that this can go badly for you. But at the same time, I think you're forgetting something important, and you're not approaching this in the right way."

"Uh..." Mari started, momentarily tempted to remind Steve that, like him, she had a perfect memory. Instead, what she asked was, "What do you mean?"

"That this situation isn't your problem alone," Steve stated. "This is something the entire team should have to deal with, and so I think it's something that you should bring before them."

"But - wait!" Mari started, shocked and a little surprised by Steve's advice. "The whole reason this is such a mess is because we're barely even a _team_ right now! I count precisely _four_ people in this whole Mansion that I would even _want_ to talk about this with, and -!"

"Then maybe you should start with those four," Steve told her, stopping her protests in her mouth. "Trust is a two-way street, Mari. And not telling the others would show them that you don't trust them the same way you're worried that going to the Champions would." Mari opened her mouth to protest this, but even as she did, she realized that Steve was right about that. And so she sighed even as he went on, "You were trained in this back at Avengers Academy, in how to work with your team. And right now, that's precisely what you need to do. Because it's only by working together that you can go beyond your own limitations. You might not be able to find a way past this situation alone, but maybe..."

As Steve trailed off, Mari once again issued a heavy sigh. "But maybe if we take a little time to put our heads together, we can figure a way out of this mess," she finally said, something to which her surrogate Uncle nodded. Pressing her lips together, she finally managed to force a small smile onto her face. "Well...okay. I guess it can't possibly make things any worse than they already are."

"No, it can't," Steve assured her. "And I'd be willing to bet that it makes things a lot better for you."

* * *

 _"Grraahhh!"_ Hikari roared as she smashed a pile of already-broken furnishings into even smaller pieces of rubble. "I _hate_ this! Hate it, hate it, _hate it!"_

 _I know how you feel, Hikari-chan,_ Joker R thought even as he studied the wrathful and delightfully buff amalgam of Bane continue to vent her frustrations on the rubble even as he surveyed their current hideout. _This is a far cry from our former digs. Hell,_ everything's _a far cry from where we were before!_

As the amalgam of Ranma Saotome and the Joker surveyed his current hideout, he didn't bother trying to compare it to their former lodgings, an abandoned YMCA club that he and the rest of his gang had gone to a lot of hard work and trouble to retrofit into the perfect place for a Clown Prince of Crime and his cohorts to hang their hats between acts of wanton murder, destruction, and chaos. A hideout that, after a disastrous encounter with a certain star-spangled simpleton, had since been subjected to the wrecking ball, with virtually everything he and his gang had kept there having long since been confiscated by the police and the Champions. Leaving them to find a new place to set up shop, which in this case was an old abandoned hotel that had clearly seen much better days, but was relatively easy to convert into something more livable for something quick and easily secured via the various black market channels.

However, it would take some time and effort to make a truly worthwhile hideout of this abysmal hole, assuming that something better didn't come along before they did. Their Rei, an amalgam of Killer Croc, had been lucky in that there was an indoor pool that had been easily converted, but the rest of the place was sorely lacking. For while the lobby Joker R and most of the others were in was decently roomy, it was still too small for their bigger boned members, and thus was extremely frustrating for Hikari, who was already on edge because of a very serious personal predicament.

"Look, Bane-Brain, we get that you're mad, but sheesh!" grumbled Minnie-May "Crushette" Hopkins. "Would you try settling down before you bring this damned dump down on our heads?!"

"Aiyaa! A gamma mutant telling someone to calm down?!" muttered his group's alternate of Shampoo, who was an amalgam of Harley Quinn. "Kettle, meet pot!"

"You know what I mean!" May grumbled, shooting a green glare at Shampoo even as she rose to her full height. And while six-and-a-half feet wasn't much by gamma mutants, it was still all muscle. "We're _all_ mad about this mess! But that doesn't mean she has to tear this place apart before we can even try and make something of it!"

"Ease off, May," Rally instructed her. "It's not Bane's fault, and you know it. The Venom shortage is getting to her, that's all."

Wincing as Hikari smashed a helpless chair into oblivion, May countered, "But, Rally, _you_ use Venom as well, and you aren't having any problems!"

"Because I don't use nearly as much of it, remember?" countered the amalgam of Rally Vincent and Bullseye, whose tank top shirt and shorts revealed a powerfully built frame. "Just enough to be able to carry the bigger guns. But Hikari...it takes a lot more to get _and_ sustain that kind of bulk!" Then Rally frowned at their pained friend. "And with everything that's been happening, we haven't been able to get our hands on the good stuff from the NSO in _months!_ So Hikari's had to make do with _regular_ Venom! And we don't even have much of _that_ available!"

That was a very painful truth, Joker R was forced to admit. Made even more painful by the fact that, not only was the standard Venom Hikari had been forced to use in order to maintain her strength considerably less potent than the good stuff she had gotten used to, it also came with some nasty side-effects. Including very serious withdrawal symptoms that she was forced to deal with on a regular basis, thanks to the fact that even _regular_ Venom was in short supply these days.

 _"One canister!_ Just _one goddamned canister_ to last me an entire _month! Rraaarrrghhh!"_ Hikari roared as she sent another wall off to wall heaven.

As Joker R looked at his girlfriend rant and rage, he felt a touch of genuine sympathy that would have been out of place in most Clown Princes of Crime. But the truth was that he did truly care for his little family, including its most recent additions, and seeing his lover suffer the ravages of Venom withdrawal was unpleasant, to say the least

"We had to go out of state, just to get our hands on that canister," Shampoo sadly mused, also affected by her teammate's plight. "And it should've been _four_ canisters, too."

"What did you expect?!" demanded the Asuka Langley-Sohryu of their team, who was bonded with a highly unusual version of the Venom symbiote. "Ever since Goldie and her operations were shut down, all the normal channels for drugs and chemicals have been wiped out! And all our old connections are in jail or _dead!"_

"How sad but true," Joker R was forced to admit. "I haven't even been able to whip up a decent supply of happy gas since dear Goldie got her brains cooked!"

 _"Goldie!"_ Hikari snarled as she continued to stomp around, venting the wrath spurred on by her withdrawal symptoms. _"Her_ fault...all _her fault!"_

"No! It was that _Mari's_ fault!" snarled their version of Rei Ayanami, a hulking monstrous creature was clenching her fists. "If it weren't for her screwing us up, we'd already be _ruling_ this damned town! And _she's_ the one who led the Champions to all our old operations and connections!"

"Maybe, but Hikari's right as well," Rally growled disdainfully as she folded her arms across her chest, the bullseye mark on her forehead showing prominently. "If Goldie had ever bothered to warn us that she was onto us, we could have been ready for her to show up! But thanks to her keeping it a secret, we weren't ready for that bitch, and we all wound up _paying_ for it!" Sniffing disdainfully, the Bullseye amalgam lowered her eyes to the floor. "Frankly, I'm just glad we decided to ditch her and Radinov when we did!"

"No kidding!" May declared with an enthusiastic nod. "Goldie was getting so crazy! Well, she was crazy before, but after she woke up from whatever it was Mari did to her, she was worse than ever!" Then she looked over at Joker R with undisguised feelings. "At least this way, we're all together."

"That's right! One great big Joker R family!" Joker R declared with a note of satisfaction. "And so we've hit a few bumps in the road? It wouldn't be the first time! We just need to -!"

"J-san!" came a harried and hurried voice even as a door was slammed open. As Joker R and several others looked about, they witnessed someone that looked like your average John Q citizen burst into the room, panting heavily even as he morphed into a massive blob of clay that was already rushing forward.

"Shinji, dear boy!" Joker R declared, unfazed as he watched the amalgam of Shinji Ikari and Clayface hurry towards the big screen TV at the end of the lobby. "Did you manage to get to that stash we heard about?"

Starting at this, Shinji paused in his advance to turn his amorphous face towards Joker R. "Uh...no," he hesitantly admitted. "I found the place, alright...just in time to see the Chemical Warfare bunch driving off with everything in their van!"

Unsurprised by this, Joker R still heaved a deep groan of dismay. Which was as of nothing compared to Hikari ripping out a section of wall and chucking it at Shinji, who was promptly flattened. _"Chemical Warfare...!"_ the Bane amalgam breathed in sheer, unmitigated hatred. "They screwed us up before...gonna...!"

"Later, Hikari!" Shinji cried out even as he oozed his way out from under the chunk of wall and continued towards the TV. "J-san, you need to see this!"

"See _what?"_ Joker R asked, already wondering what could have Shinji of all people so worked up and excited even as he switched on the TV and started flipping from one channel to the next. "What're you -?!"

"Here! _Look!"_ Shinji called out, having apparently found the right channel and subsequently oozing away from it. Allowing Joker R and the others to look at the TV, with even Hikari settling down somewhat to see what had one of their number so worked up.

"- here at City Hall as preparations are already in progress for the Fourth of July festivities," spoke a reporter who was clearly standing in front of City Hall, a cheerful expression plastered on her face as people worked in the background, hanging banners and stringing up balloons and more everywhere. "And spirits are high as we celebrate the anniversary of the day when all of Chicago was saved from total disaster."

"Shampie, get me a hard drink, would you?" Joker R requested with a look of annoyance. "From what I'm seeing, I'm not gonna want to be sober while I watch this."

"Right!" Shampoo quickly replied, already bouncing away to the nearest kitchen.

Scowling as she took in the news broadcast, Rei growled, "Why _are_ we watching this, Clayface?!"

"You'll see!" Shinji tersely returned even as he continued to watch.

By this point, the view had shifted to a shot of the Governor of Illinois, who was smiling the same political smile as a shark. "This is truly a grand day, and not simply because it's the anniversary of the founding of our nation," the Governor stated for the press, "but also because it's the anniversary of the day when we were saved from total destruction! The day our big anti-drug initiative began! And it was the day when our most notorious drug lord, Goldie Musou, was toppled and her empire began to fall!" His smile deepening that much more, the Governor went on to say, "And we owe all of this, our lives, and this great victory against the scourge of drugs to one young woman; Mari Illustrious Makinami, better known to all our citizens as Captain America!"

"Mari...!" Hikari snarled in a voice rife with hatred even as Shampoo handed Joker R a can of beer. Making a face at Mari's mentioning, he hurriedly cracked the can open and took a deep swig of it.

"And so, we will be paying homage to her feats and courage!" the Governor went on in a resolute manner. "For this Fourth of July, at 9 PM, it will be my supreme honor and privilege to commemorate the heroism of Chicago's newest citizen and hero by giving her the Key to the City, and -!"

Joker R didn't hear the rest of the sentence, for the part that he _had_ heard caused him to gag on his beer and immediately spray the deep chug he'd taken all over creation. _"What?!"_ Hikari bellowed, her eyes rounding with hatred. "That bitch...she's _here?!"_

"That's right! She's moved to Chicago, and -!" Shinji confirmed, only to cut himself off when Hikari hefted up another chunk of wall and sent it flying towards the TV. "Uh, wait! Hold on!" he cried out, leaping forth and intercepting the projectile before it could strike home. "Would you _please_ stop wrecking everything in sight?!"

"Forget that! They're actually giving her a big award for screwing us over?!" Asuka snarled, her symbiote covering her face, transforming her expression into a mass of gnashing teeth and a long, slavering tongue. "We're gonna -!"

"Hey, settle down, everybody!" Rally called out as everyone in the room got more agitated. "Look, I know we're all royally pissed off at that little piece of shit, but can we please just settle down and -!"

A loud, piercing snicker filled the room, immediately stilling the bickering members of the Joker R gang. As one, their eyes widened with confusion as they swung their eyes about to find the source of the mirth. Only for their eyes to grow even wider when they saw it was Joker R himself laughing, laughter that was growing deeper and more powerful with each passing second. Laughter that had him doubling over with mirth even as he struggled up to his feet, glaring daggers at the television.

"Uh...J-chan...?" Shampoo nervously wondered even as Joker R continued to laugh. "What so funny...?"

A few more spurts of laughter were heard before Joker R turned his eyes towards Shampoo. "What's so funny, my dear?" he wondered, his features twisted dangerously as he returned his gaze towards the television, upon which was a video being played of when Mari had been awarded the Excelsior Gold Star by Stan Lee himself. "Isn't it obvious, Shampie? They're going to be throwing a big party for our star-spangled spoilsport! And what party is complete...without party _crashers?"_

At these words, the mood of everyone in there shifted. The face of every member of the Joker R gang creased with eager hatred, something May put into words by saying, "He's right! This is gonna be our big chance to pay that bitch back...by turning her into a bloody smear on the ground! And on _live television, too!"_

But even as most of those there clearly shared that sentiment, there was one who was clearly nowhere near as enthusiastic about this notion. "Uh - now wait a minute! Hold on!" Rally protested, swinging her gaze this way and that. "You're not seriously thinking of going after her?! After what happened _last time?!"_

"Are you kidding me, Rally?!" May immediately protested. "This is _perfect!_ She won't even see us coming!"

"No, she _will!"_ Rally immediately countered even as she turned towards Joker R. "Think about it! That Mari _has_ to know we'll hear about this and go after her! Don't act like she's stupid! We all went to jail and Goldie's whole operation was wrecked because we underestimated her last time! And that's a mistake I'm in no hurry to make again!"

"What can I say, Rally, my dear? When you're right, you're right!" Joker R declared, already making his way over to her. "Even the most Genre Blind buffoon to come down the pike would be hard-pressed to not see that we simply couldn't resist being the pooper for this big party!" Issuing a few more chuckles at this, the Clown Prince of Crime studied the footage of Mari using the magic of her shield to create a massive fireworks show for everyone to see. "However, that was last year...and this is a new day! And the perfect chance to settle some old scores..."

"Exactly!" Shampoo eagerly seconded. "That Mari dragged our reputation through the mud! We _owe_ her!"

"That we do, my dear!" Joker R confirmed. "But Rally does make a good point! Underestimating that star-spangled stick-in-the-mud was a costly mistake, one we're _all_ guilty of making! Even yours truly!" At this point, the clown martial artist smiled even more deeply before adding, "Which is why we're going to be spending the next few days before the Fourth rolls around again, planning out the perfect plan...to make sure she celebrates this Fourth of July in the nearest mortuary...!"

At this, the entire hotel began to reverberate with the cruel laughter of the entirety of the Joker R gang...

* * *

"Oh, great..." Mana grumbled as she sat at the table of the Mansion's Assembly Hall, her face propped up by one hand and a sour expression weighing it down. "As if things were crazy enough around here as it is...!"

"I heard _that!"_ Mari couldn't help but respond as she looked at her fellow Extraordinary Avengers. As well as the dismal expressions each and every last one of them now wore.

Without any better ideas, Mari had lost no time in summoning the four members of her team that she trusted not only to listen to what she had to say, but to keep it quiet for the time being. And thus she had taken advantage of the relative confusion that was the rest of the team still settling in and dealing with the construction taking place throughout the Mansion to dodge the others and come to the Assembly Hall, hoping that the others didn't attract any attention when they came to join her. And so, it wasn't long before the four original members of this team, along with their very first recruit, came to be seated at the round table at the center of the Assembly Hall.

The first to arrive had been Maria Vincennes, the lone member of the team Mari had known and had been friends with prior to landing in Coreline. In her civilian form as she was now, she was an attractive blonde with blue eyes and was quite fit and had even boasted good musculature, having trained with Mari for a time. But she also had something else; a magical Asgardian Hammer called Storm Bringer that would transform her into Thunderstrike, a warrior with powers comparable to an alternate of Thor.

Next had been Alphonse Elric, who looked fairly similar to most alternates of the kindly alchemist, save for the fact that he was far more muscular and had eyes that glowed gold. Save for that, he looked fairly normal, making it impossible to tell from a glance that he had been transformed as a result of an alchemic disaster mixed with lightning, resulting in him having the powers of Wonder Man.

The third to arrive was Mana Kirishima, who looked much like most alts of that girl and was physically fairly normal, save for being visibly tougher due to the training she had been put through at Avengers Academy. Mari had already been working with her somewhat to improve her physical prowess, but her greatest power lay in the technological genius of her mind, and the armor she wore as Iron Maiden.

Last and to the eye least to appear was Glitter, a fairy that had once lived in a chaotic world called the Flipside that was marginally crazier than even the Core Timeline itself. Mari had heard that a pocket universe version of the Flipside was accessible via a dimensional gate, though she hadn't had a chance to go and find out just how crazy it was. But she did know that Glitter was a lively, energetic fairy that had gained the ability to use Pym Particles to grow to human-size, among other things, and fought evil as an amalgam of Wasp.

Right now, all five of them were in their civilians garments and Glitter was her usual size. And all of them wore similarly unhappy expressions after Mari had finished telling them of the big problem confronting their barely established team of Avengers. "So that's where we stand. I tried to convince the Governor to cancel when I met with him this morning, and he refused," Mari concluded with a scowl. "And the TV crews I saw outside City Hall tell me that it won't be long before all of Chicago knows exactly where I'm gonna be this Fourth of July."

"Regrettably, I'd say that a great many people are already aware of this fact, Captain Makinami," came the familiar voice of JARVIS, the AI that regulated and served all Avengers' installations. "I've been monitoring news broadcasts as per standard operating procedure, and I've already recorded several such broadcasts reporting about this ceremony and your promised attendance."

Making a face at this unsolicited piece of bad news, Mari replied, "Thank you so much, JARVIS, for making my day that much worse." Giving a weary shake of her head, she then grumbled, "Anyway, as near as I can tell, we have precisely two options; call in the Champions to deal with this mess instead of our own team, which would likely have the side effect of making everyone else think that I have zero faith in them and totaling whatever trust they might have in me. Or mobilize our team to deal with the Joker R gang and Golden Four ourselves, which would result in the bad guys becoming aware of our team's existence and thus start looking for where we hang our hats. And when they find out that the Mansion isn't even finished yet -"

"It'd be a disaster," Mana grimly concluded with a sour expression. "I've been reading up on all the local villain reports like you told us to, and there's _plenty_ of super scientists who would have a _field day_ with our systems if they knew how much still wasn't working. An amalgam of Jinnai and Arnim Zola, of Hikari and the Leader, and _that's_ just the beginning!"

"Regrettably, I must agree," JARVIS chimed in with a grim voice. "Although my core functions are online, the vast majority of the Mansion's hardware and software have yet to be installed. The Mansion's systems are operational enough to sustain everyday life here but little more."

Nodding her head to this, Mari then sighed. "I've been banging my head against this ever since I left the Governor's office this morning, and so far, all I've got for my trouble is the worst headache I've ever had!" she declared in an irritable manner. "So if anybody's got any brilliant ideas on how we can get out of this mess, I'm all ears! And you don't have to raise your hand before you speak!"

"Well, I'm really sorry about your headache, Mari," Glitter assured her in a sympathetic tone. While the Super Soldier was kicking herself for not taking into consideration the little fairy's problem with slang, the Wasp amalgam went on to say, "But if going to this ceremony would be such a bad idea, I don't understand why you don't just...well, _not_ go!"

As everyone shot a look at Glitter, Mari snorted a slight laugh at the fairy's naiveté when it came to matters of politics. "Believe me, Glit, there are very few things that would make me happier than to call the Governor up on the phone, give him a great big FU, and tell him where he can shove that Key to the City," she declared, smiling internally at the thought of doing something so outlandish. "Unfortunately, it ain't that simple."

"That's right. We _are_ talking about the Governor of the state of Illinois. A high-ranking politician with considerable influence and power," Maria said by of explanation. "It would be a mistake to get him on our bad side under most circumstances, but _especially_ when we're only just establishing this team. And if Mari failed to attend, she would embarrass him and many other powerful politicians and people of business. People we don't want as enemies unless there's no way to avoid it."

"And then there's the fact that, even if _I_ don't show up, I have no doubts that the Joker R gang and Golden Four _will._ Meaning that people's lives will be in danger whether or not I go," Mari added. "In fact, my not being there might make things even worse than they already are. Because if I don't show, Joker R and the others might start taking hostages to try and force me to show up, or douse everyone with Fear Gas, or worse."

"They might do that anyway," Al pointed out. "Also...and I really hate to say this, but...if people already know that you're living here, doesn't that mean that they might already suspect you're starting a team of Avengers in Chicago?"

"It's possible but doubtful. Or at least, people might not realize that we're as far along in getting established as we are. Truth is, Uncle Steve and several other Avengers already thought of that one before we moved out here," Mari quickly reported. "Don't forget, they put a cover story in place, just in case we needed to explain what the heck I'm doing out here. If anybody asks, I'm working with the Champions while I'm looking for a place to live."

"That's right," Maria nodded. "And given that you've already worked with the Champions to take down Goldie's empire, that makes the cover that much more plausible."

"Right. So hopefully, nobody will stop to wonder if we're already started construction of an Avengers Mansion. But the instant we mobilize the team, that cover will be completely blown," Mari explained. "So, what other options do we have?"

"Maybe we could call the Infinite Avengers Tower, ask for another team to be publically sent here to help," Al suggested with an earnest look. "It wouldn't be the same as calling in the Champions since we'd be asking for help from other Avengers. And if you were to explain to the others why you were calling for another team, maybe they'd understand. After all, this is their home as well, and they'd have to know how important it is to keep it a secret until it's finished."

Blinking a few times at this, Mari fingered her chin for a moment before replying, "Hmm...that's not bad. Not great, but...it'd be better than calling on an outside group like the Champions, and -"

Then Mari's nose pricked at something. A fresh scent wafting into the room, one that caused her eyes to widen in surprise and displeasure as she cut herself off. "Mari?" Maria wondered even as the Super Soldier looked about, sniffing at the hair. "What is it? Do you smell something?"

"No..." Mari began, her brows creasing with annoyance at the intrusion her nose had just ferreted out, "...I smell _someone!"_ Scowling fiercely, she looked off towards one end of the Assembly Hall, at a patch of dark shadow in the corner. _"Zuko!"_

"Zuko?!" Maria, Mana, Al, and Glitter repeated as one before following Mari's gaze towards the patch of darkness. With the fairy demanding, "When did he -?!"

"Get here? Just now," spoke the handsome firebender, dressed in the typical loose garments of the Fire Nation. He looked exactly like most alternates of Prince Zuko did in their teens, save for the fact that the burn mark that had once disfigured the section of skin around his left eye had long since been regenerated and looked perfectly normal. Regenerated the day he had first been given the ability to transform into a Red Hulk. "By the way, Mari...thanks for the lessons on...what'd you call it? The Stealth Hi/Bye?" he asked, gazing at Mari and the others with a look of patent disinterest. "I'm not up on the names of all the Tropes."

"Yeah, you got it right. And in more ways than one," Mari reported, scowling at the uninvited guest. "Nice entrance. Most people wouldn't have even noticed you unless you'd spoken."

When Zuko failed to respond to this, Al and Glitter groaned in dismay, with the alchemist sputtering out, "Uh, Zuko - we -!"

"Be quiet, Al!" Zuko snapped, shooting him a glare so fierce that the Wonder Man amalgam nearly fell out of his chair after being struck by it. "You're not the one I want to talk to! _She_ is!" he decreed, pointing an accusing finger at Mari. Then he turned his fierce gaze at the Super Soldier, he let his arms fall back to his sides before demanding, "My quarters. _Now!"_

Without another word, Zuko turned on his heel and departed, the doors parting for him instantly and closing behind him. Leaving Mari and the others to groan in dismay. "Well...shitballs..." the shield slinger grumbled sourly. "This day just keeps getting better and better." A beat passed before she glanced back at the others and added, "And for the record, Glitter...that last part was me being sarcastic."

"I thought so. I'm getting better at recognizing it after hearing so much of it," Glitter reported in a voice completely devoid of snark. "Thanks for making sure I understood, though."

The corner of her mouth curling wryly up, Mari was about to say something when Maria wondered, "So what are you going to do?"

"What else? Head up to Prince Anger Management's room and stop him from making this day any worse than it already is," Mari declared, wondering if all her critics who thought they would be better suited for the job than her would actually want it if they realized the kind of crap the title of leader came with. "The rest of you, try and come up with some other ideas on what we can do about our main problem. I'll be back soon enough."

"Very well," Maria replied even as Mari departed the Assembly Hall, already making her way towards Zuko's room. Even if she hadn't already memorized the location of everybody's living quarters, the unmistakable and extra potent scent of gamma mutant was as easy to detect to her nose as a flare gun was to a person's eyes. Making her way past the other Avengers that had taken up residence there, exchanging pleasantries and so on, she went upstairs and before long found herself in front of Zuko's quarters, which had the emblem of the Fire Nation emblazoned upon it.

Despite the fact that she was not looking forward to this in the slightest, Mari still knocked on the door before calling out, "Mari here."

"It's open. Come in," Zuko gruffly returned. Not wasting a moment, Mari then pushed the door open and made her way inside.

Zuko's room was pure Fire Nation decor. Oriental styling, candles, plenty of golds, reds, and blacks, and a tapestry with the Fire Nation emblem hanging from the wall. And in the middle of it, staring into an open fire with his back turned to her, was the firebending gamma mutant himself. "Nice digs," she remarked as she approached. "I prefer things a bit brighter, but hey, to each their own." She paused and placed her hands upon her hips and went on to say, "By the way, notice what I did back there? I knocked on the door. That's what _polite_ people do before entering a room."

"You have no right to speak to me about things such as politeness!" Zuko growled, turning just enough to glare at Mari over his shoulder. "Just when were you planning on telling the rest of us about this?! About this ceremony and the threat to our home?!"

"As soon as I got some advice and came up with some decent ideas on how to handle it," Mari retorted, her sense of humor fading in the wake of Zuko's accusatory manner. "And I'd say you had even _less_ right to talk about good manners! But you _are_ the perfect guy to tell me how the hell you found out about this, and precisely how much you heard!"

Scowling that much more intensely, Zuko heaved a deep breath before turning to face her. "I was getting back from the gym when I noticed Maria and Glitter heading towards the Assembly Hall. Since they were in a hurry, I realized that they had to have been summoned for some reason," he carefully explained, making it clear that he was doing his best to keep his emotions in check. "And since I didn't get any such summons, I assumed something was up."

Making a mental note to tell Maria and Glitter to be a bit more careful when it came to avoiding attention, Mari then asked, "And the part about how you managed to listen in on us before making your big entrance?"

"I used this," Zuko declared, pulling out his Avengers ID Card. "I bent the electricity in Maria's ID Card, turned it on so I could hear what you were saying."

Her eyes popping open at this, Mari just looked at him for a time before saying, "Wow. Didn't know you could do that."

"I am an Embodiment of the Fire. What you call a...Red Hulk," Zuko gruffly retorted with not just a bit of pride. "I was transformed by a fragment of Sozin's Comet that fell within the heart of the Fire Nation. It's power ignited an inferno within me, causing my blood to burn with its fury. My bending is _much_ more powerful _and_ precise than that of an ordinary firebender." A beat passed before he added, "Also, I picked up a few things about the theoretical applications of lightning bending and using it to hack electronics back in Avengers Academy."

"Oh," Mari returned, not sure what else to say. "That sounds convenient."

It was clear that this was not the kind of reaction Zuko had wanted because he scowled that much more furiously. "Listen! It doesn't matter how I came to learn about this! What's important is that you were keeping something like _this_ from us!" he declared angrily. "This ceremony may be about you, but you are far from the only one being affected by this! You should have told us all about this as soon as you came back from meeting with the Governor! And I want to know why you _didn't!"_

This vehement declaration chased any urge to be funny Mari might have had right out of her, and instead caused growl lowly in her throat. "You want to know why? Fine!" she shot back. "The fact is, I think it's high time we got some things settled between us! So I hope you understand it when I say, 'to hell with being polite and decorum and all the rest of that crap I learned when I was studying diplomacy at the Academy'! Since you're being so honest about how pissed off you are with me, I'm gonna be 100% brutally, in-your-face honest as well!"

"That'd be a refreshing change of pace!" Zuko decreed, his eyes flashing a brilliant gold. "Certainly better than _joking your way out of everything!"_

"It can't be any worse than being a brooding emo-jerk who acts like he's always one second away from blowing his stack at you for whatever reason!" Mari quickly countered. "You want to know why I handled things this way?! Because I know this team has a lot of problems! Virtually everyone here is still new to the Core Timeline! Except for me and the others in the Assembly Hall, everybody here fell into this crazy mish-mash of a world after the original team was formed! And I know that a lot of the people here don't think I have what it takes to lead them! And you know something?! I honestly don't blame them! We've got military leaders, a trained spy, and more running around here, including you! And I've heard the kind of things they say, the questions they ask about me! I'm too young, I haven't had enough training, I don't have any command experience! You name the reason people don't like me being in charge, I've heard it! _Including_ from you! I can't even remember the last time I told you to do something or helped you with training and you didn't listen or you gave me grief about it! And considering that I _literally_ can't forget stuff like that, that's saying something!"

Unfazed by the explosion of emotion from Mari, Zuko just stood there and looked her in the face. Which ticked her off that much more. "Now like I said, I can't blame people for having doubts! Dammit, I've had plenty of my own! And I _know_ that I have to _earn_ their trust! Their respect! Unfortunately, last time I checked, there's no magic formula or step-by-step guide to doing that! Even worse, thanks to Governor Asswipe, I don't have the benefit of having the time to try to get everyone to trust me before I make my first real command decision! So I decided to ask for some advice on how to deal with this mess before going to the rest of the team! I'm not trying to keep secrets or hold some conspiracy! I'm trying to do my job the best way I know how, and if you don't like it, then fine! You haven't liked most of what I've done, anyway! Why should this be any different?!"

The last of her words expended, Mari stood there, recovering her breath for a moment. Leaving Zuko to say, "If you've said everything you're going to say, then I'll speak my own piece. And like you, I'm going to be '100% brutally, in-your-face honest'!" As the Super Soldier braced herself for what was to come, Zuko scowled and declared in a relatively calm voice, "First of all, you're right about me. I don't think you're fit to be our leader. Perhaps in the beginning, it worked out, but a lot has changed since I joined the Avengers. There are people here far more capable of leading this team. And I feel that leaving you in charge instead of turning command over to one of them was a terrible mistake." As Mari continued to glower unflinchingly at Zuko, the gamma-powered firebender went on to say, "Make no mistake, I _do_ feel that you are fine and skilled as a warrior. But much of that is because of this...Super Soldier Serum you took. You may be able to copy my stances just by watching me use them once, but that doesn't mean that you understand the heart, the passion behind each move. Nor does it mean that you have been adequately learned in the ways of leadership." Pausing for a brief moment, as if to consider his next words, Zuko then went on to say, "I was raised to be a successor to the throne of the Fire Nation. Military tactics and leadership skills were ground into me, even when I was a child. You've only been training for a few years. You only have a _fraction_ of the experience I have! And there are others here who have far more training or experience in the ways of leadership than either of us. So while you may be skilled as a warrior, and you may even have the potential to be a leader in your own right some day...that day is not today. And I truly believe that it would be in all our best interests if you were to stand down for someone better suited to command."

Even as Mari felt a sore temptation to do just that, Zuko frowned and closed his eyes. "However, you are also right about other things. There is no magic formula to earning the trust of others, something that I was forced to learn over the course of my exile. And you are also right in that there is no time to deal with the issues of command now. Not when we only have days to prepare for the current situation." As the two continued to face each other, the former prince opened his eyes and went on to say, "So for now, I think it best that we set aside the question of who should be in charge here, and focus on what needs to be taken care of now."

As these words sounded in Mari's ear, she managed a slight sniff. "Wow. So we _can_ agree on something," she snarked mildly. "Alright, Zuko, since you're all in favor of clearing up this mess before we move on to other matters, and since you already know as much as the others about what's happening...I don't suppose you have any brilliant ideas on what we can do to clean it up?"

"As a matter of fact, I do," Zuko confirmed with a nod. "As I understand it, the chief problem with allowing the criminals of this city learn of the team's existence is that they would then learn about the Mansion _and_ how vulnerable it is."

"That's about the size of it," Mari confirmed with a nod. "It'd be like letting an enemy army find out that there's a great big hole in your castle where they could slip in unnoticed before you even have a chance to fix it. Which would be really damned _dumb!"_

"Agreed," Zuko replied, a slight smile curling his lips. "But what if, instead of letting our enemies discover the Mansion...we revealed its existence ourselves? _And_ convinced everyone that it _is_ fully armed and ready for battle?"

"You mean fix the Mansion up so that it looks like it's ready for action?" Mari wondered before shaking her head. "I already thought of that, but the problem with that is, once the Mansion was out in the open, we'd have to keep up the impression that everything's working perfectly for as long as it would take for this place to _actually_ be completed. So whatever we set up would have to withstand the scrutiny of all of Chicago's evil geniuses, mad scientists, and worse for more than two weeks. Possibly longer, if we have any more delays. And considering the kinds of evil brains running around out there...I'm not sure we could fool them all. And all it would take is just one seeing through our scam to sink our ship."

"You're right, but that's not what I had in mind," Zuko explained to Mari's surprise. "Now, we might not be able to create an illusion that would fool everyone for as long as we need to finish the Mansion. But...what if we were to _prove_ to everyone that the Mansion's systems were fully operational? What if we were to demonstrate its full power...in battle?"

"You mean...bluff everyone? Put on some big light show that makes it _look_ like everything's working the way it should be?!" Mari replied with a touch of surprise.

"Exactly! Hook up enough weapons and equipment to make it look like everything's fully functional and ready for an attack!" Zuko decreed with a touch of a smile. "I've seen plenty of animals that were able to scare their enemies off by making themselves look more formidable than they actually were."

"Same here, only it didn't always work," Mari retorted with a frown. "Besides, the only way we could pull something like that off is if we could get a bunch of villains into position to actually try to attack or be attacked by the Mansion! It wouldn't work if all they did was get in close to observe or scan us."

"That's true. We'd need to show everyone that the Mansion was operational in an actual battle," Zuko confirmed. Then he grinned a dangerous grin before saying, "Fortunately, if you're correct, we already know of at least two groups of villains who would be more than happy to attack us." Then he narrowed his eyes and leaned in closer to Mari. "And we just happen to have the perfect bait to lure them wherever we want them to go."

"You mean using _me_ to bait the Joker R gang and Golden Four into attacking the Mansion on the Fourth?" Mari replied with a slight frown.

"Precisely," Zuko confirmed. "We lure them away from City Hall and any potential hostages, draw them here, and put on a show that they'll never forget. As soon as word gets out about the kind of firepower we have here, people will think twice about knocking on our doors."

Frowning as she considered this plan, Mari began slowly shaking her head. "With all the powers we have on hand, we could definitely put on a show. Especially once we throw in some of the special effects stuff I have in storage," she conceded after a time. "But there are a couple problems you seemed to have overlooked."

Now it was Zuko who was again frowning as he wondered, "And those would be...?"

"First off, Avengers Mansion isn't exactly down the street from City Hall. It's a long way between here and there, with plenty of civilians to wind up in the line of fire and wind up as hostages. Plenty of property and people to get blown up if we parade the Joker R gang and the Golden Four down the streets of Chicago," Mari explained in a terse manner. "And second, all the fancy light shows on Earth won't fool anyone is somebody were to read one of our minds and find out that we're trying to fake them out. And the Golden Four just happens to have a very powerful, very _dangerous_ telepath heading them up."

"I thought you aced Amora's courses on blocking out telepaths," Zuko demanded haughtily.

"I did. But I can't say the same for everyone else here," Mari admitted with a frown. And for a moment, she was tempted to reiterate her point about the long distance between City Hall and the Mansion, and the dangers of trying to bait the Joker R gang to that location just to put on a show such as the one Zuko had suggested.

But even as she did, Mari realized...that there was no point.

She had already gone as far as she could at the moment. Done everything she could think of.

It was time for the next step.

"Still...that's more ideas on what we could do then I had before," Mari decided even as she drew forth her Avengers ID Card and switched it on. "Attention, Avengers," she began, the Card warbling that made it clear that it was broadcasting to everyone in the Mansion. "We have a situation. Report to the Assembly Hall at 1700 hours for a mandatory meeting. Full attendance _will_ be required." Then she switched off her Card and looked up at Zuko. "I got some advice, some ideas. And _now_ I'm bringing this before the rest of the team."

"So I see," Zuko noted, clearly not impressed. "So what next?"

"Next, I'm going to go back to the Assembly Hall and tell the others about your idea, and wait for the rest of the team to show," Mari explained. "But in the meantime, I need you do something you're gonna hate; follow one of my orders."

Scowling another shade of scowl, Zuko slowly wondered, "And what order is that?"

"I can think of two members of this team living on the top floor who are almost certainly guaranteed to completely ignore what I said about this meeting being mandatory and that full attendance is required unless they're properly persuaded to join us," Mari explained, glancing upwards at the ceiling even as she spoke. "So I need someone to properly persuade them, and I've just elected you for the job. Think you can handle it?"

Making a face at this, Zuko retorted, "I can get one of them down to the Assembly Hall. Not so sure about the other one." Then he looked squarely at Mari and asked, "Besides, do you really think we need them for this?"

"What I think is that this is their home, too, so they have as much a stake in this as the rest of us, and I'm really getting sick and tired of having everything I say to them being completely ignored," Mari declared with a touch of annoyance. "I realize they've got problems, but - news flash! So's the rest of the world! So I want them down there for this meeting." Then she cocked her head to the side and wondered, "Got a problem with that?"

At this point, Zuko managed a slight smile. "Not at all," he declared, his eyes shining with golden power. "Truth is...I wouldn't mind twisting _her_ arm at least."

"I can think of a whole lot of other body parts I'd like to twist," Mari returned even as Zuko began his transformation. "Just be sure they're at the meeting and are fully conscious for it."

* * *

"I want it on record that I'm totally against this!" Jinnai grumbled as he stood at the large table in the dining area of the hotel, what the Joker R gang used as a planning room. "This is a complete waste of time and energy, and a very large mistake if you ask me!"

"Yeah, well, I don't recall anybody asking you!" May countered even as Jinnai began depositing papers and materials on the table for the others to see.

"Well, maybe you should've _before_ you decided to start something!" the amalgam of Katsuhiko Jinnai and the fear-mongering Scarecrow irately shot back. "We're still recovering from Goldie's fiasco from last year, and we still don't have _nearly_ enough resources to be throwing them away on a plan that doesn't get us anything in return!" He then gave a loud sniff before adding, "And besides, with everybody distracted with this ceremony, we could go rob a bank or an electronics firm or chemical factory! Any one of those would be an easier target, and would help us recoup some of our losses!"

"He's right, you know! We don't have nearly as much firepower as we had before," Nao seconded with a scowl, the Sinestro Corps ring she wore glinting in frustration. "Besides, Jinnai and I just got engaged! You think I want to put our wedding on hold just so we can go to jail again?!"

"My, my, what's with all the pessimism I'm seeing here?" Joker R demanded with a slight but definite frown. "So we've had a few setbacks! So what? We can still take that red, white, and blue buffoon!"

"The same way we took her _last_ year?!" Rally demanded with her arms folded across her chest. "That bitch of a Mari made us all look like _idiots!_ And that was when she was on a damned _probation_ with most of her powers locked down! What do you think she'll be capable of doing with all her powers and equipment back up to full?!"

"What she said," Jinnai nodded, jerking his thumb at Rally.

"Hey, I know all that! But the truth is, we stand to gain a great deal from splattering this American girl's red blood all over the place!" Joker R readily countered. Then he narrowed his eyes and glared about at everyone present. "Or aren't you all as tired as I am of walking into the Black Cross Bar and having that fiasco thrown in our faces? Of having the Black Scars and all the rest of them thinking that we're a bunch of washed up losers because of that disaster? Of having the name of the Joker R gang being tarnished, and all because of one little girl who didn't know enough to keep her nose out of our business?" As the clown martial artist looked about at his cohorts, saw the fury and shame they still burned with as a result of that disaster rise up in their expressions and smiled gleefully. _"This_ is our chance to wipe that bit of red, white, and blue off of our ledgers! To show everyone why Chicago is still and always will be Joker R territory! And why they should respect our name...unless they want to laugh themselves all the way to the cemetery...!"

Even as Joker R punctuated his statement with a bit of laughter, Nao pointed out, "But you realize that we're not going to be taking this bitch by surprise! She's bound to see this coming! And then there's the Champions! Do you really think that they won't expect us to pull something like this?!"

"Of course not! In fact, I fully expect them to be planning for our arrival!" Joker R promptly admitted. "Which is why I had the both of you do some scouting for me! Between our Scarecrow gathering up some dirt on our patriotic pain-in-the-neck, and you scavenging up some extra goodies we can use on her, and some of our other...acquisitions we've made since then, we should be more than ready to deal with her, and any other long underwear types that happen to waiting for us to show!" Chuckling deep in his throat, the Clown Prince of Crime leaned in closer to his crew. "All we need now is a brilliantly conceived plan to shut the good Captain and the Champions down! And that's what we're going to cook up, right here and now!" Then he fixed Jinnai with a glare and intoned, "So, Scarecrow, what do you have on our All-American twit? What little tricks does she have that she's _not_ going to be able to surprise us with this time around?"

* * *

Author's Notes: Here it is, the sequel to "Legends of the Fourth of July"! Not much else for me to say except that I hope you all enjoy it!


	2. Strategy Sessions

Disclaimer: I do not own Evangelion, any of the characters or concepts depicted here, or anything associated with them. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Rise of the Extraordinary Avengers

Chapter 2: Strategy Sessions

"So that's the mess we've got on our hands," Mari declared as she sat at her place at the table in the Assembly Hall.

Mari had to admit to having been pleasantly surprised when, at five o'clock sharp, the Assembly Hall was filled with the team she had been tasked with leading. There had been expressions of annoyance, curiosity, and boredom on some of their faces, but they had nonetheless heeded the call to Assemble.

 _Or at least_ most _of them did!_ Mari couldn't help but think, scowling internally as she glanced over at the one chair that remained empty. For while Zuko, on her instructions, had been successful in properly persuading one of her biggest problem teammates in attending this meeting, the remaining one had succeeded in keeping himself locked away in his room, continuing to hold the rest of the world at arm's length for his own reasons. _I know Zuko said that she'd relay everything to her buddy, but I'm getting down to my last straw with this pair!_

Wishing that she could properly display her unhappiness to the one Zuko had successfully wrangled into actually attending the meeting, knowing full well that all this would have accomplished would be sending her back up to her 'master', Mari did her best to be content with the half of the loaf she had and continued to tell everyone there the situation. "Now, I've discussed this matter with some of the others before assembling the rest of you, and as near as we can tell, we have precisely two options. Neither of which I'm particularly thrilled with," she continued with a frown. "We can either send for one or more teams of Avengers to come in from the Tower, make a big show of them showing up for my big moment in the spotlight...or we can deal with it ourselves."

"Now, wait!" came the disdainful voice of one of Mari's biggest problem teammates. "The entire reason we're supposed to be in hiding is because we can't let anyone learn of the Mansion's existence until it's completed!"

"I know. And the Mansion is still very vulnerable, something we _don't_ want getting out," Mari confirmed with a grim look. "However, after discussing this matter, Zuko was able to come up with a way of preventing that from happening; by tricking the either or both gangs into attacking the Mansion directly." As several eyes bulged in surprise at this outlandish notion, she went on to explain, "If we can make it _appear_ that the Mansion is fully operational and ready for battle when that happens, then word will get out that it's ready for action, which will hopefully convince the rest of Chicago's underworld to stay the hell away from it."

"Uh, wait a minute! Are you serious?!" one of the others demanded, a look of incredulity on his face as the others began making noises at this idea. "You want to get them to _attack_ the Mansion?! Before it's even _finished?!"_

"With all due respect, _Captain,"_ seconded another member with a deadly scowl on her face, "that seems like the absolute worst idea I've heard since we've landed in this crazy world!"

"I never said that it wasn't without problems. In fact, it strikes me as the riskiest of our options," Mari quickly admitted, something the others were quick to second. "However, it also has the best chance of convincing Chicago's scum population that this Mansion is fully operational if we were to reveal the existence of this team. Also, Al made a very good point when I talked it over with the others earlier; now that the Governor made a point of blabbing my newly acquired citizenship of Chicago to the rest of the world, we might not have much time before the local bad guys start putting two and two together and start looking for the Mansion anyway. And we cannot afford for them to realize just how vulnerable it is right now!"

"Agreed," declared another of their number with a definite frown. "We'd have enemies coming at us from all sides, and we'd be trying to defend the Mansion with innocent people caught in the middle!"

"Exactly," Mari confirmed with a nod. "Now I'm going to be totally honest with you all; I've seen you all training during your stints at Avengers Academy. I've even helped each of you out with your training and getting to know this crazy quilt world we call Coreline. And after seeing you all in action, I wouldn't hesitate to pit any one of you against any member of either the Joker R gang or the Golden Four. And even if both gangs were to team up against all of us...I have no doubt that the bad guys would go down, and they would go down _hard!"_

"Like there was any question about _that!"_ came a somewhat older voice, one that spoke from hard experience.

Nodding to this, Mari then frowned, "Unfortunately, we can't just think about this one battle. We're here to fight a war against the scum of Chicago, and for us to be at our best, we need this Mansion. It's our base of operations, as well as our home. And we need to figure out which is the best way to protect it, to keep it and the people here safe." Pausing to study the expressions of everyone there, the Super Soldier then went on to say, "I know this is pretty far south of ideal. So's a lot of stuff in this world. So we need to work with the hand we got dealt." With this, she turned towards the firebending gamma mutant of the team. "Now, if we can work up a plan that would allow us to not only take down both the Joker R gang and Golden Four but also implement Zuko's plan, then great. But if we can't...then we'll go with our fallback and ask for some help from the Tower to be publicly deployed to Chicago." Watching as the others exchanged glances and visibly considered the situation, Mari gave them all a slight smile. "Now I'm going to be honest with you all. We need to do what's best for this team, and that's what I want to do. But if it's at all possible, I'd rather go with the option that involves us cleaning up this mess ourselves. Because that's what we're here for; to fight the good fight and take down the creeps who think they're entitled to kill and maim and ruin lives and whatever. And I'm sure none of you want to sit back and let someone else take care of our problems for us."

"You got _that_ right!" declared a powerful voice from off to the side, causing several others to jump as a fist pounded the table in agreement, causing it to bounce harshly. "This is _our_ fight, not anybody else's!" Then the speaker grinned, his sunglasses glinting dangerously as he fired his fist into his other hand. "Besides, I've been waiting to introduce myself to the local scum for a _looong_ while now! So let's show them that you don't mess with the Avengers!"

This proposal was met with a veritable roar of approval from the others present, with several fists being raised in excitement and eagerness. Leaving Mari to smirk and think, _Well, I guess we know which plan the peanut gallery is in favor of..._

* * *

"Alright, here's everything I've got on this patriotic pain in our collective necks," Jinnai grumbled, still about as unenthusiastic about Joker R's plan as was possible. "Now this wasn't easy to get a hold of; she's been lying low in New York for the most part since we ran into her, training with the Avengers! Believe me, I had to use up some pretty big favors to get this stuff, so you better appreciate it!"

"Don't worry, Scarecrow! We'll be winning back whatever you used up, and in _spades_ once we've given the good Captain a proper military funeral!" Joker R declared with a broad smile even as he surveyed the various pictures and so on littering the table. "So what exactly does she have in store for us?"

"From what I've been able to tell, she's spent a lot of time in the Nerima Ward at one point, among other places, training and picking up some tricks," Jinnai reported, showing several pictures featuring her fighting in New York. "She's already mastered the Bakusai Tenketsu, Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken, a modified version of the Shishi Hokodan, and uses combinations and variations of these moves and others in a battle. For example, here we have an alternate of the Juggernaut tossing a building at her," he explained, showing off the picture in question. "She used a combination of the Breaking Point and the Shishi Hokodan in a move she calls the Lion Claw to cut through the damned thing without taking a hit."

"So, she's been spending some time in the stomping grounds of different versions of me, huh?" Joker R mused with a thoughtful. "I guess I shouldn't expect anybody who could survive the Nerima Ward to be anything less than badass!"

"But she didn't just spend time there," Jinnai explained. "I also found out that she spent some time in a version of Camelot, where she got her shield powered up with different spells." With that, he then held out a series of three pictures. "She can use her shield to summon at least three magical...things; a shield that can project a powerful force field," he explained, holding up a picture of Mari using the magical shield to protect civilians, "a giant eagle she can use to attack enemies or get people out of trouble," he added, showing a picture of a massive golden eagle right out of Tolkien whisking wounded civilians out of danger, "and a woman who shoots super-destructive arrows at whatever she's mad at!"

 _"What?!"_ Rally groaned even as she took in a shot Mari unleashing a horde of the Arrows of Might upon a swarm of attacking villains and the sheer destruction being unleashed as a result. Shaking her head in disbelief at this, the Bullseye amalgam grumbled, "Now I'm _really_ glad she had that damned collar on last time!" Then she looked over at her new leader and protested once more, "Boss, this is _stupid!_ We don't need a fight like this!"

"Now, now, Rally, don't lose your head!" Joker R returned, holding out his hand to her. "I admit that our red, white, and blue buttinski is looking a lot more formidable than I had initially thought, but she's still nothing that can't be handled with a little careful planning!" As Rally rolled her eyes skyward, the clown martial artist wondered, "So she's got magic and training. What else is she packing?"

"A lot of muscle, for one thing," Jinnai grimly reported, holding up another picture of her in action. "She got in a fight with an alternate of Rhino...and took him down with a single shot to the face!" Dropping down the picture that showed the Rhino alt lying on the pavement with his nose crushed and bleeding with Mari smirking a short distance away. "And her suit has all kinds of tech available. And not just the stealth tech we saw last time! Here!" With that, Jinnai grabbed up a laptop computer and set it so that the screen was facing the bulk of the gang. "This is a video taken some time after the big supernatural nightmare that was last Halloween! And as you all know, the barriers between the worlds were very weak for a long time after that."

"That's right. We had a lot of arrivals showing up during that time," Rei admitted with a toothy frown. "What of it?"

"Well, at that time, New York got some unwelcome guests in the form of alternates of Zod, Faora, and Nam-Ek. All Kryptonians, and all as evil as it gets," Jinnai said by way of explanation. "Several Avengers and Champions were deployed to counter them, and guess who went along for the ride?"

Frowning somewhat, Shinji looked over at Jinnai and demanded, "Wait...you mean she's fought _Kryptonians?!_ And _won?!"_

"See for yourself!" Jinnai declared, pressing the button that set the video he had somehow managed to obtain into motion. Before their eyes, a massive battle was soon displayed on the screen, showing the Avengers and the Champions fighting two of the Kryptonian criminals. Then whatever camera was at work focused in on Mari, who was standing on the roof of a building. "For the record, we can count ourselves lucky we even _got_ this video! The Avengers apparently use floater cameras to record important stuff like first contacts with new arrivals, and the one following her got damaged, so someone was able to get their hands on its memory, and -!"

"We get the idea, Scarecrow!" Asuka growled, her human faced revealed but with her symbiote's gnashing teeth surrounding the base of her neck. "Now let us watch _and_ listen to the damned thing!"

Jinnai looked like he was about to retort but then thought better of it. As he scowled and stood a bit further back, the Mari on the computer screen was raising her shield. "Stars of freedom shine, their powers unite!" she called out, speaking in a hurried voice, "And fill the archer's bow with - _ack!"_

A moment before Mari could complete the incantation, a figure zoomed up behind her and snatched her up by her throat. The camera shifted to reveal her attack was the Zod alternate, who was even then turning Mari about to grin cruelly into her face. "A bit of advice, little girl," he gritted maliciously. "Shorter magic words!"

With that, Zod flew forth with Mari grabbing onto his forearm for much-needed support. But even as she struggled with her precarious predicament, the rogue Kryptonian whipped her into the side of a nearby building, knocking large chunks out of it. Then he smashed her against another building, and pounded her into another, and then another still. And he kept doing it even as he flew through the New York skyline, bashing entire sections out of the skyscrapers by using her as a club.

"Oooh-hoo-hoo hoo!" Joker R laughed merrily as Zod then rammed her into a building and then flew up its side, using Mari to gouge out a long furrow in the wall as he did so. "Jinnai, you should've told me this was a comedy flick! I'd have gotten myself a beer and some popcorn for the show!"

At this point, Zod rose up high above the city, still grasping Mari by the neck. "What's this?" he asked her in an amused manner. "Still alive, are we?"

Despite the fact that her windpipe was mostly blocked off, Mari managed a feral grin. "I only regret that I have but one life to give for my country, shithead."

"And you even have some fight left in you!" Zod declared, almost laughing at her defiance. "Let's see if I can smash it out!" With that, the rogue Kryptonian ripped Mari's shield from her arm and tossed her up and grabbed her again, this time by the ankle. Then he began pirouetting in mid-air, spinning his victim about until they were both a blur, right before launching her down towards the streets below. The force of the impact cratered the street, with the hapless Super Soldier's impact digging a massive gouge in the streets even as whatever camera recorded the battle dove in to follow her. Just as it was about to reach Mari after she had ground to a halt, a massive blast of crimson crashed down upon her, and the camera suddenly fell to some point a bit above the street.

"Now, I can only assume that Zod's heat vision hit the camera as well," Jinnai said by way of explanation. "But fortunately, it was still angled at Mari, so -" Even as the Scarecrow amalgam was speaking, Joker R pressed one of the buttons on the laptop, causing it to rewind. "Uh...hold on! I'm in the middle of a presentation here!"

"Oh, lighten up, Jinnai! This is comedy gold here!" Joker R grinned as he rewound the video back to the point where Zod had snatched Mari up. Cackling wickedly, he then proceeded to watch her once again get brutalized by the Kryptonian. "Ah! Slapstick at its finest!"

"Yeah!" May seconded with a huge grin as she watched Mari getting smashed into the buildings once more. "I can't tell you how often I've dreamed of doing this to that bitch _for real!"_

Jinnai groaned as the others present seconded the decision to watch Mari's battering again, but suffered in silence as Zod once more wound her up and sent her flying into the streets below. As she was again blitzed by heat vision, Joker R moved to rewind again. "Ohhh...just one more time...!"

"With all due respect, you can watch it again later!" Jinnai protested, pulling the laptop just out of Joker R's reach. "But you _need_ to see this! It's _important!"_

Joker R and the others looked at Jinnai with expressions of patent annoyance even as Zod hovered down to confront Mari. "Still breathing, are we?" he asked in low amusement. "You're certainly more durable than I'd expected, given the paltry creatures living in this miserable world." As the star-spangled girl glowered at him, he held up the shield he had taken from her. "I must say, this is a _very_ fine shield," he remarked, turning the nigh-invulnerable discus this way and that. "I tried to crush it, but...I couldn't. Can't even seem to bend it the slightest bit."

"Lucky for you, asswipe," Mari growled lowly, nothing but anger in her expression as she slowly stood to face her attacker. "Because if you _had,_ I'd've broken every single bone in your body."

Snorting a tiny laugh at this, Zod continued to examine the shield. "You know, I think I'll keep this," he soon decided, sliding it over his left forearm. "Of course, I'll have to repaint it, but...I think it will serve me nicely."

Her eyes narrowed into deadly slits, Mari spat back, "Over my dead body!"

"Well, that would be the idea," Zod assured her. He was about to say something more, but it was then that Mari did something with her suit. As the Joker R gang looked on, the suit seemed to shine for a moment before a sphere of crimson enveloped both her and the Kryptonian. "What's this? Some feeble trick?" he wondered, clearly unimpressed as he landed in front of her. "Well, whatever. It won't save you."

"Then how about this? _Return!"_ With that one word, Mari's shield seemed to glow for a moment right before it slid right off his arm to fly obediently back onto her own raised forearm. "Or maybe _this?!"_

As the Joker R gang looked on, the blue circle and star at the center of the shield seemed to glow even as Mari aimed it Zod and furrowed her brows in concentration. A few moments passed as the Kryptonian seemed to wobble somewhat. And then, right before their eyes, the Super Soldier _exploded._

 _"Aiyaa!"_ Shampoo gasped at what they saw, not that Joker R could blame her. The already powerfully-built Mari alternate swelled up even larger, her muscles doubling in size, and then bulging forth even more as she seemed to grow even taller. Her back rapidly broadened, her pectoral muscles swelled so fast that they caused her breasts to jump, her biceps coiled and bulged, and her thighs broadened to the thickness of tree trunks. "She can use her chi to grow like that?!"

But while at least some of the Joker R gang were impressed, it quickly became clear that Zod wasn't. "You think an increase in bulk will make any difference, girl?" he demanded as he recovered. Without another thought, he launched himself towards her with his right fist aimed right at her head. "Now, kneel before - _yeeaargggh!"_

Two things happened that caught Joker R by surprise. The first was Mari effortlessly catching Zod's fist in her own hand. The second was her then crushing her enemy's fist with a similar lack of effort. "This is for my shield, asshole!" she declared over the sound of snapping bone and pained howling. "Thanks to you, I'll be up all night _cleaning it!"_

"No!" Zod cried out as he slowly crumbled before Mari. "H-how -?!"

"Like I'm gonna tell you!" Mari shot back before releasing his hand. Then she took her mighty shield in both her hands and snarled, "Now, kneel before _this,_ Zod!"

Then Mari smashed her shield right into Zod's face with such force that he was sent flying crashing into the photonic force sphere that surrounded them both. His face a crushed, bloody mess, he sagged down to his knees, issuing a final groan of defeat before his eyes rolled up into their sockets and he fell before the Super Soldier with his posterior sticking up in the air.

"Aww...!" Joker R groaned in dismay. "Why'd such a funny movie have to have such a downer of an ending?"

"It's not over just yet," Jinnai replied with a frown. "Just watch."

"Now, to make sure you don't manage to get recharged and cause any more grief!" Mari declared as she shrank back down to normal and reached into her utility belt. Then she pulled out a gray device that was shaped like a rounded triangle and had a round screen in the center. "D-Secure!"

With that, the device shined a strange light at Zod, who's body seemed to dissolve in a mass of light and digital coding before being sucked into the glass screen of the device. The device itself then turned green, and Mari looked at it and grinned smugly. "That should you keep all warm and snugly, Zod!"

At this, the video concluded, with May demanding, "What the hell did she just do?! What's that thing she used on Zod?!"

"According to my sources, it's called a Digital Identity Securement Kit. DISK, for short," Jinnai tersely explained. "A couple Tony Stark alternates helped develop it for use in capturing criminals back in their home worlds, and Avengers Infinity has been experimenting and improving upon the technology. It's sort of like a Pokeball, except it's for use on people like us and supposedly escape-proof." Giving this a moment to sink in, the Scarecrow amalgam scowled. "Now, as you've already seen, her battlesuit is fitted with photonic force generators, capable of creating a photonic force matrix in a wide variety of shape configurations in various light spectra. In this case, she was able to trap Zod in a sphere that mimicked the light of a red sun."

"Which explains Zod's power failure," Nao intuited. "But why didn't she use it sooner?"

"Maybe it's difficult to concentrate when you're being smashed around like a ragdoll," Rei rumbled lowly.

"Makes sense. I know a lot of heroes I've smashed that would agree with you on that!" May seconded. "But what was with the center of her shield glowing like that?"

"I'm not sure. I wasn't able to get any additional information, but from what we can see here, I'm guessing she was doing something to drain whatever yellow sun radiation Zod had in his system faster to make him easier to handle," Jinnai declared. "The thing that gets me is that she shouldn't have been able to grow like that."

"Why not?" Shampoo wondered. "Lots of people who use chi can do that!"

"I know _that!_ The problem is her battlesuit!" Jinnai explained. "It's lined with _vibranium!_ She should have been squashed within her own suit!"

"Maybe the Avengers upgraded it so that it would grow with her," Shinji suggested.

"That's a possibility." Then Jinnai scowled and grumbled, "Now I've said it once, and I'll say it again! Going after this bitch is a bad mistake that's gonna wind up with us back in the slammer! So I say we should just rob a bank or something _useful!_ Not look for trouble when we've got enough troubles as it is!"

"I'm all for that!" Rally declared with arms folded across her chest. "I'm not in the mood to make the same damned mistakes Goldie did!"

"Same here!" Nao chimed in with a nod. "She just shut down a Kryptonian like it was _nothing!_ I don't - _ack!"_

"You're scared of her, aren't you?!" Hikari snarled, grabbing Nao by the shoulders. Already on edge from withdrawal, she had struggled to remain quiet during Jinnai's briefing, but it was clear that whatever restraint she had was fading fast. "Why?! Because she beat a _Kryptonian?!_ I beat them all the time! I beat that Superbitch Rei so hard that she -!"

"Ah, Hikari-chan, please! I'm pretty Nao would appreciate it if you refrained from bending, folding, or mutilating her!" Joker R urged her. As the Bane amalgam looked at her boyfriend, she heaved several deep breaths before shoving Nao into the wall. "Now you have a good point there. Kryptonians might be tough, but once you exploit their Kryptonite Factors, they're little more than putty in your hands."

"Maybe, but that's not the only thing this Mari's got," Jinnai declared, pushing another few buttons on the laptop before playing a second video. "This was recorded during the fight in New York when Goldie's little pet project to screw with the Avengers went into gear."

As Joker R and the others looked on, Rally's eyes bulged. "Whoa!" she breathed as she studied the aircraft on the screen. "Would you look at those _guns...!"_

"That ship's called the _American Dream,_ those guns are called Hybrid Cannons and, according to my intel, it has enough punch to at _least_ blow a chunk out of the moon!" Jinnai declared with a heavy scowl as the video played, showing the ship unleashing a mammoth blast from its Hybrid Cannons. "It's fitted with adamantium armor, has loads of firepower, is fully amphibious, is equipped with its own AI, and it all belongs to _you-know-who!"_

 _"What?!"_ Joker R declared even as the rest of the gang's jaws clattered right to the floor. "She has a fancy suit of vibranium that can shut down Kryptonians _and_ a ship that can blow holes in the moon?!" Shaking his head in dismay, the Clown Prince of Crime shook his head in dismay and envy. "Oh, _where_ does she get those _wonderful_ toys...?"

"Well, that does it!" Rally declared, throwing up her arms in disgust. "No _way_ I'm picking a fight with this bitch! Not when there's no payday in it for us!"

"I hate to say it, but I think she's right," Rei scowled disgustedly. "How are we supposed to fight something like _that,_ anyway?!"

"J-san, I'm sorry, but..." Shinji apologetically began.

"Ah, now hold it right there!" Joker R scowled, swinging a fierce glare at his compatriots. "You're not actually giving up, now are you?!" Once again scanning his subordinates, the clown martial artist went on to say, "We've fought _and_ defeated Kryptonians, Martians, Amazons, Atlanteans, and more! We've crippled the police and brought this city to its _knees!_ And you're all getting squeamish about one little girl?!"

"No, we're getting squeamish about one little girl with a flying, indestructible, _weapon of mass annihilation!"_ Rally countered incredulously. "There's a _big_ difference!"

"That's right!" Jinnai nodded. "Now, I could probably work up some countermeasures for her suit and the rest of it, but that would take _time!_ Not to mention resources we can't afford to spare right now! And we only have a few _days_ to get something ready for the Fourth of July! How are we going to make _that_ happen?!"

"Simple!" Joker R retorted with a smile. "First of all, my happy little band, you can forget about the big ship with the gonzo guns! Because I doubt our star-spangled pain in the rear will be bringing something like that to City Hall! Let alone unleashing all those delightful weapons when there are so many _innocent people_ around who might get hurt!" A beat passed as they all visibly considered this, with the way their eyes lit up making it clear that they realized the validity of their boss's point. "Secondly, while she might be tough, _we're tougher!_ After all, it's not like we've been sitting around, letting the grass grow between our toes, now, have we?"

"No way!" Harley declared with an enthusiastic look on her face. "We've been training as well!"

"Exactly, Shampie! We've been training ourselves, improving our capabilities, bulking up for the day when we would have it out with our All-American airhead!" Joker R decreed, flexing his muscles in a playful manner. "She may have laid us low once, but now we're tanned! We're rested! And we're ready to give this old town a wedgie again!" As looks of eager hope and cruelty marked the faces of his gang, the clown martial artist grinned deeply. "She may have some new tricks, but then...so do we! And best of all, she has no idea what those tricks might be...!"

* * *

"Now, I've studied both the Joker R gang and the Golden Four, and their basic capabilities and the rest are all on record," Mari continued, studying holographic images of the members of both gangs. "However, the Joker R gang has been laying pretty low ever since the last Fourth of July, and there's been no sign at all of the Golden Four since last Halloween. So there's a gap in our intel. Which means they might have some new tricks up their sleeves."

"Makes sense. According to the files, alternates of Ranma Saotome are fanatics about martial arts and have big egos that make it impossible for them to take losing," seconded one of the others present. "Add in the ego of a Joker alt, and you have one swelled head that won't let him live down what you did to him."

"Right. And he's had an entire year to train himself and the others up and be ready for a rematch," Mari frowned, thinking of how much a difference a year's worth of training could make in a person. "Plus, I think it's safe to say that they aren't going to make the mistake of underestimating me twice in a row."

"I'll say," declared another member of the team. "But we _do_ have some advantages! According to the files I've read, both gangs lost all their hideouts and a lot of their equipment when they went down last year. I can't see how they could have completely recovered from something like that."

"Yeah!" agreed another. "Besides, we've been staying out of sight since we got here, so there's no way any of them could know about us! And that's a big advantage!"

"Well, I'm betting that they'd expect at least a _few_ Avengers to show up," Mari admitted. "But you're right; they don't know about any of you, who you are, what you can do. And with all those resources down the drain, they're behind the proverbial eight ball here."

* * *

"Aside from the Avengers, Captain Bitch has precisely one friend in the world," Jinnai went on, holding up a picture of a girl wearing Asgardian armor and holding a golden hammer in her hand. "An alternate of Maria Vincennes from the world they came from. She goes by the name of Thunderstrike, and she has the same kind of powers that an alternate of Thor has."

"Oh, great!" Rally disgustedly grumbled. "So on top of that Mari, we're supposed to be fighting a _Norse God!_ Can this get any worse?!"

Shooting Rally a look, Joker R just smiled at the picture. "So, I'm guessing she has the same weaknesses as any human with one of those hammers has? Namely, she loses it for a minute, and she loses her powers?"

"That's right," Jinnai confirmed with a nod.

"Then she won't be a problem at all," Joker R smiled evilly. "Fact is, I've got something in mind I've been saving for just such an emergency."

"But it might not just be Thunderstrike," Jinnai urged his boss. "She's been hanging around with the _Avengers,_ remember?! What's to stop a few of her buddies from showing up as well?!"

"Nothing!" Joker R replied with a smile. "Which is why it's a very good thing that we have the perfect place to duke it out with them...!"

* * *

"I think it's safe to assume that things won't start happening until after I get to City Hall," Mari noted as she and the other studied a holographic map of Chicago that presently hovered over the table. "The Joker R gang and Golden Four have to realize that they're going to be dealing with me, at least some of the Champions, and possibly Avengers. That's a lot of muscle that they won't be able to match in a straight-up fight."

"But they might not have to match us in power," noted one of them with the slightest of frowns. "With all the civilians and politicians that will be there, they will have no shortage of potential hostages to exploit."

"Right. Both groups are well-known for their use of various forms of toxins in their schemes," Maria noted with a frown of her own. "And even though they no longer can get those things from their old sources, there's nothing to stop them from going out-of-state and getting some of the things they need that way."

"Right. And their Scarecrow definitely knows enough about machines and chemicals to be able to put together some nasty surprises that could put a lot of people in danger if we make the wrong moves," Mari grimaced as she looked at the structure of City Hall. "Even worse, they have plenty of places to hide whatever nasty tricks he's managed to cobble together where they'll do a lot of damage."

"Hold on. What about local security?" one of the others wondered with a definite frown. "Won't they be able to stop them before they can set anything up?"

"He's right. Even assuming that you're right about all this and that either gang is going to try something, they don't have much time to set up anything," seconded another member of the team. "And they're going to have to get past whatever security precautions the Governor's already taken. That won't be easy."

"I know. And you're right; we can't be absolutely certain that either gang will try something this Fourth of July. But after dealing with both of them, all the research I've done on them, I really do believe that there's a serious danger of them pulling something," Mari admitted with a touch of a smile. "If I'm wrong, fine! The worst that happens is that I get to feel like a complete ass for wasting all your time and I pick up drinks or takeout or something to make up for it. I'd rather have that happen than completely screw up by ignoring something that smells as bad as this." Then she frowns as she considers the holographic representation of the building before her. "As for the Governor's security...I'm going to be consulting with Commander Saotome of the Champions later, find out what kind of security the Governor _and_ the Champions will have in place for this shindig. But I think we're safer assuming that the bad guys will be one step ahead of both of them. Which means that we not only have to find and disable any and all of the tricks they might have set up, but we'll also need to force this fight someplace else. Somewhere less vulnerable, with fewer people to get in the line of fire."

* * *

"We need to make sure that, once the fun gets going on, that we _keep_ the fighting at City Hall!" Joker R declared as he jabbed his finger down upon the map before him and the others. "It's about as perfect a place to throw a party as you can get! Plenty of potential hostages, including political figures, for us to snatch and use for shields if the heroes try to do something...well, heroic!"

"Makes sense," Rally reluctantly admitted as she frowned in thought. "Once we make our move, all those idiots will be running around, screaming their heads off -"

"Ah, such delightful imagery!" Joker R declared with gusto. "Chaos, confusion, carnage! Us stepping over the corpses of all those innocent people...!"

"But we'll need to keep at least a few of them _alive,_ remember?" Shinji reminded them. "Neither the Champions or the Avengers will hold back against over a few corpses!"

"I wouldn't be so sure, but...true. Good reminder," Joker R admitted with a touch of regret. "I'll never understand why all those hero types get so worked up over all those meaningless little lives! It's not like they're good for anything other than a bit of fun!"

"Well, they _are_ all potential customers," May pointed out. "At least, when you're in the drug trade, they are."

"She's got a point," Nao was forced to admit even as Jinnai nodded in agreement. "Money's _definitely_ a good reason to keep at least a _few_ of them around."

"Well, we're not in the drug trade!" Joker R reminded them a bit testily.

"We could always expand our operations once we're in a better position," Jinnai pointed out. "Plenty of people still hurting over not being able to get their daily dosage of what makes life worth living..."

"I know how _that_ feels...!" Hikari growled despondently.

"Uh, people? Can we _please_ keep out minds on the matter at hand?!" Joker R demanded, now looking a touch annoyed. Which was enough to get the others' thoughts back to business. "Now, Scarecrow, we'll need something special to hold over the heroes' heads. Happy gas, Fear Toxin, explosives...you know, fun little party favors like those!"

Making a face, Jinnai considered the matter for a time. "Well, I have just enough equipment and chemicals to put together some things," he hesitantly admitted. "But that will basically wipe out our current supply of chemicals! And we're already scraping by as it is! Even assuming that we manage to pull this off, we're gonna have to go out of state again for a new supply! We won't even have enough left to rob a bank!"

"Then we'll have to see about looting and plundering the guests while we're at it," Joker R decided in an offhand manner. "Setting up your little toys won't be any trouble, of course. Not with our new bag of tricks. Add in some hostages, and we'll have all the advantage we'll really need."

* * *

"Part of the problem with Zuko's plan is that it would be way too risky to try and draw the Joker R gang and Golden Four all the way from City Hall to Avengers Mansion for something like this," Mari declared as she surveyed a holographic map of Chicago that presently hovered over the table. "With that kind of distance, we'd be parading all those loons right through the heart of the city. Property damage, possible hostages...there's just too much that could go wrong in a situation like that."

"Which is why we've come up with an alternative," Zuko declared in a confident voice. "We feel that one or both of the gangs are likely to field lookouts to keep track of Mari's movements on the Fourth of July. Possibly even before then."

"Huh? How come?" one of the others wondered.

"Because they're not dumb enough to underestimate me again," Mari returned in an even manner. "They've _got_ to realize that I'm bound to see them pulling a stunt like this from a mile away, so they're gonna want to make sure that I don't set up something to take them by surprise again." A beat passed as she indicated one of the tall buildings marking the Chicago skyline. "Now according to JARVIS, the roof of this building would allow someone a perfect view of both City Hall _and_ the Meta Hotel, where I'm supposed to be staying. Which makes it a perfect place for their Bullseye to keep watch and support both gangs, either on my end or at City Hall."

"Now, hold it!" protested another of the team. "You don't seriously think they're gonna leave that sucker out on the roof all by herself, do you?!"

"Nope! I'm betting that they'll send Nao out with her," Mari smilingly returned. "Except for Clayface, she's the only other member of either team that can fly. And her Sinestro Corps ring makes her the best choice to have stationed there. Both to cover Rally _and_ to get into a position to lend a hand to anyone on either end of this operation if things go pear-shaped on them."

* * *

"According to word on the street, Mari's staying here," Jinnai reluctantly reported, jabbing his finger down on a particular section of a map of Chicago. "At the Meta Hotel."

"Hmm...nice place. We stole some of their furniture once, didn't we?" Joker R inquired with a nostalgic smile. "Ah, the beds they use can take all sorts of abuse! Trust me, I know..." As Hikari managed a slight smile of her own, with Harley and May scowling somewhat, the clown martial artist glanced down at the map. "So, Nao, I trust that you scouted the terrain? Found the ideal spot for our sharpshooter in residence?"

"Yeah; right here," Nao replied, fingering one of the buildings on the map. "It's the only location that gives us a view of both locations with no obstructions. Bullseye will have no problem lining up a shot at either the Hotel or at City Hall from here."

"Excellent! Then that's exactly where I want you and Bullseye to set up shop for this little caper!" Joker R decreed. "As long as you make sure to stay out of sight, you can help keep track of our patriotic pain's movements, _and_ keep us apprised at City Hall if anything looks amiss!"

* * *

"Now, Bullseye watching from a distance is good, but there are plenty of places where she'd lose sight of me between the Meta Hotel and City Hall. So I'm betting that the gangs will send someone to stay a bit closer to me. And if I had to guess who that would be, my money would be on their Clayface," Mari declared with fair certainty. "None of the Golden Four are particularly stealthy _and_ good with up-close-and-personal-action. And given that we're dealing with a Clayface, he can blend in with the surroundings perfectly, and can stay out of sight pretty easily while following me. As long as he stays downwind of me, stays out of my line of sight, and keeps quiet, even I'll have trouble picking him up."

"What about their Venom?" Glitter wondered. "Aren't alternates of them able to disguise themselves as well?"

"That _might_ have been an option, Glit, if not for one little problem," Mari returned with a slight smile. "See, this Venom is an amalgam of Asuka Langley-Sohryu. Now, I knew one of her back in my world, and I've met a few since landing in the Core Timeline. And they all have one thing in common."

"And...what's that?" Al wondered with a raised eyebrow.

"That if I wanted to get them to blow their stacks, all I'd need for them to do is be close enough to hear me when I opened my big mouth," Mari grinned deviously.

* * *

"Now, Rally is good, but even she doesn't have X-ray vision!" Joker R went on, shooting their sharpshooter a sideways glance. "Which is why we're going to need someone to help keep track of the red, white, and blue buffoon in case a building gets in the way! Stick just close enough to her to see if she's going to be throwing any spanners into our works or making any unscheduled stops between the Meta Hotel and City Hall." Then the clown martial artist turned towards his team's Clayface and declared. "And Shinji, you're the lucky boy I'm trusting with this oh so important task!"

"Okay, J-san!" Shinji nodded eagerly.

"Wait a minute! Why does _Shinji_ get to follow her?!" Asuka demanded, her symbiote writhing in anger as she scowled at her leader. _"We_ want after her! We want to eat her brains, and -!"

"Because all it would take is for her to open her big mouth to get you to blow your cover! _Especially_ since you've been forced to go on a people-free diet lately!" Joker R countered, knowing full well how alternates of Asuka were infamous for their temper. And given his team's Asuka's situation and the hunger her symbiotic other instilled in her, a hunger for living flesh, it made her especially problematic for stealth jobs when she hadn't been able to indulge in some time. The very fact that she had been referring to herself as 'we' like most Venom alternates did was a _very_ bad sign in and of itself. Just as the way she was glaring at him ravenously, her symbiote writhing in hunger was. "Now, don't get so down about it, Asuka!" he promptly assured her, knowing that there were some serious limits in how much the human aspect of this version of Venom could reign in the symbiote part of the equation. "I've already got a buffet in mind for you to enjoy! _That_ should tide you over until the star-spangled girl _without_ a plan makes her appearance!"

* * *

"Now wait. About this part of the plan," began one of the members at the table. "I've read up on your first fight with the Joker R gang and Golden Four, and...according to the files, you used some kind of coagulant to solidify their Clayface, turning him brittle."

"That's right," Mari confirmed with a nod. "Why?"

"Well...you aren't planning on using that same trick _again,_ are you?" the Avenger in question demanded with an incredulous expression. "Because if their Scarecrow has come up with some kind of chemical counter for it, then..."

As this unfinished question was left hanging in the air, Mari gave a hapless smile. "Believe me, I wasn't planning on using the same trick twice. Like you, I figured that Scarecrow would have thought of something to make that stuff so last season. Fortunately, I have something else that should be even _more_ effective." With that, she hefted the blasters from their hip holsters and presented them to the others. "After I got off my probation, the one Tony Stark at the Tower who makes no bones about the fact that he's a fan of mine made a point of going over my battlesuit and giving it a complete makeover and upgrade. For instance...!"

With that, Mari took aim at the wall off to the side, well away from anyone in the room, and pulled the trigger, disgorging a white stream of spiraling power. The instant it struck the wall, a mammoth section of ice began to form. "Turns out that he'd had a chance to take a look at a Star-Lord variant's Element Gun, and implemented some upgrades based on it. These beauties might not be able to fire all of the elements like an Element Gun, but they _can_ fire stun blasts, freeze beams, heat rays, flames, and electrical pulses, on top of upgraded versions of my old trick rounds. So...yeah. I think giving Shinji the cold shoulder should be more than effective."

* * *

"Now I've come up with an anti-coagulant formula for you," Jinnai went on, scowling as he held a large, gel-cap pill up towards Shinji. "It _should_ be more than enough to neutralize the coagulant Mari used on you last time. If she hits you with some kind of chemical, and you start to feel yourself solidify again, just crack open the capsule, and this will do the rest."

"Okay, sure," Shinji returned, accepting the capsule. "I just hope it doesn't come down to that. It took me _days_ to get...whatever it was she used on me out of my system last time!"

"Just remember that it hasn't been properly tested, and _don't_ use it unless you start to feel yourself solidifying!" Jinnai warned him. "If you do, it'll make you so runny that you won't even be able to _move_ properly, let alone fight!"

"I'm sure Shinji is level-headed enough to heed his doctor's advice, Scarecrow!" Joker R assured him. "Nice work on that pill, by the way!"

Making a face at this, Jinnai replied, "I still wish I had a sample of the formula Mari had used on him in the first place to make a better counter with! And don't forget that this will only counter something like that coagulant! He's still vulnerable to things like freeze grenades and other weapons! And if she has something like that on her, she'll be able to turn him into an instant popsicle, or _worse!"_

"Only if she _sees_ Shinji!" Joker R countered. "And I'm sure he's smart enough not to do something stupid and let himself get spotted!" Giving a slight chuckle in his throat, the clown martial artist smiled dangerously. "This is great! So far, this little plan is coming together like clockwork!"

Frowning deeply at this, Rally slowly shook her head and muttered, "Yeah. And _that's_ the problem..."

* * *

"Now once we've drawn Shinji out into the open and I've taken him down, I'll be free and clear to contact City Hall and the Champions and use my Avengers Emergency Authority to shut down the ceremony and order an evacuation, citing a clear and present danger to the people there," Mari continued, studying the faces of those assembled. "Hopefully, Nao and Bullseye will see that, and Nao will come after me, try and kill me and rescue Clayface before heading off to back up the rest of the gang at City Hall," Mari continued, studying the faces of those assembled. "And _that's_ when I lead her back to the Mansion! Once in position, we drop the cloaking shield, and give them the show of a lifetime! With any luck, Nao, Bullseye, and Clayface will be shitting bricks and running off to tell the rest of the gang _and_ the world that Avengers Mansion is something _not_ to be messed with!"

"Sounds good. But what happens if Goldie were to try reading your mind?" wondered one of the team. "Or _our_ minds, for that matter? If that happens, she'll realize that it's just a trick!"

"Fortunately, I managed to ace Sensei's classes on blocking out telepaths," Mari assured them, pointing at her head. "She can huff and puff all she wants, but she won't be able to blow the house of my mind down!" Then she frowned a bit before adding, "As for the rest of you...I'm hoping the good Doctor in residence might have an idea or two about that."

"Well...I _could_ cast a spell that would block out any telepathic influences," spoke the Avenger in question. "But I'd need to spend some time with each member of the team and set it up. Then I'll need to test the spells' effectiveness, make certain that everybody's protected."

"Then we'll make that happen. _Assuming_ that we can deal with one final problem in Zuko's scheme," Mari concluded, turning towards Mana with a frown. "Now, this whole plan depends on making Avengers Mansion look like it's fully operational and ready for some serious ass-kicking. So the ten million dollar question is; can we make that happen?"

As all eyes fell on Mana, the auburn-haired girl sighed. "To be honest...I'm not sure how," she reluctantly admitted. "The _American Dream_ is still fitted with modified nanites from the 11th Angel, so as long as we have someone onboard, it can project an AT-Field. One large enough to protect the entire Mansion, at least from the surface."

"That's great, but a solid defense isn't enough!" pointed out another of the group. "What about offense?"

"In terms of offense...we're in big trouble," Mana reluctantly admitted. "Only about ten percent of the weaponry has been properly installed and is online, and we can't even use _that_ much! Thanks to that mess with the Disaster Squad accidentally destroying that shipment from the Tower during that scuffle with the Black Scars, we don't have any of the hardware for JARVIS that would allow him to even activate any of the weaponry, let alone control it!"

"Can't we take what we need from the _American Dream?"_ wondered another. "The last I heard, it was fully upgraded, and it's fully compatible with Avengers tech!"

"Unfortunately, no. Tai's hardware is still different enough that the _American Dream's_ weapons drive wouldn't be compatible with JARVIS's own hardware." But even as Mana said this, a thoughtful frown appeared on her face. "However...if we could wire up the weapons systems and connect them directly to the _American Dream,_ then Tai should be able to operate them instead. I mean, it'll take a bit of work, but -"

"As long as it works, that's all I care about," Mari broke in, glad that they were making progress. "What do we need to make it happen?"

"A little wiring, and a _lot_ of elbow grease!" Mana promptly replied. "Also, you should know that, if we do this, the _American Dream_ will be completely grounded. There's no way we'd be able to launch it without disabling all of the Mansion's defense systems."

"I wasn't planning on using the _Dream_ for this, anyway. It's a big gun that's a bit _too_ big for a situation like this. And besides, it may be out of action, but we can still use its support vehicles," Mari reminded them. "Thanks to Club Iron Man upgrading the shit out of them, both the _Aqua-Raider_ and the _White Rocket_ have hover capabilities, and the _Crimson Flare_ is already set for an aerial battle. We also have Maria's Turbo Chariot, and -"

"And don't forget my baby!" declared one of the others with a broad, triumphant grin.

This declaration took Mari by surprise, and it was clear that a few of the others felt similarly. "Wait...you mean it's _finished?!"_ the Super Soldier demanded, her eyes wide with amazement. _"Already?!"_

"Armed and armored and ready to bare her teeth and go into action with claws out and fur flying!" declared the boisterous member of their team.

"Are you sure?!" Mana demanded with furrowed brows. "We haven't finished testing it's arc reactor or the subsystems! We haven't even given it a test run, or -!"

"Hey, as much as I appreciate all your help on this, I _know_ my work!" countered the Avenger in question. "And when I say she's ready, she's _ready!"_

Mana looked like she was ready to protest, but Mari then said, "You may know your work, but Mana knows arc reactors. Do whatever tests she wants you to do, just to settle her nerves and _mine!"_ When the Avenger in question scowled disagreeably at her in response, the Super Soldier added, "Because if it all possible, I want your baby ready to go for a possible debut this Fourth of July!"

At this, the Avenger's eyes widened slightly, just before his mouth creased with an easy smile. "Are you actually _listening_ to me?"

"I _always_ listen to you. I just don't always _agree_ with what you have to say," Mari countered before moving on. "Now, about the Mansion's weaponry. You say Tai should be able to run it."

"He'll be able to run what we've managed to install, yes," Mana confirmed. "But that's still only ten percent of the Mansion's total firepower. And that's nowhere near enough to be able to convince anybody watching that we're at full strength!"

"Is there any chance we can get any more of it installed by the Fourth?" Mari wondered. "And please remember, I majored in ass-kicking and strategy at Avengers Academy, minored in magic, and had just enough engineering and architecture to find the soft spots in any given design. So no fancy words, okay?"

"That's fair. And no, we _can't_ get more weapons ready in time," Mana stated in all certainty. "We could _mount_ all of them in place, sure, but we wouldn't be able to hook them up in time to be able to bring them online! And even if we _could,_ without the proper reinforcement and calibration to make sure everything was properly installed, we'd be looking at a complete disaster!"

"I hate to say it, but she's right," declared the formerly enthusiastic Avenger. "When they fire, our weapons generate a fair amount of heat and shake a lot. Unless everything's been properly calibrated, there's a big chance that they'll shake themselves to pieces, possibly even explode and take chunks of the Mansion with them."

"That's right. The weapons we've got installed are all properly mounted and set up, and we tested them as soon as they were in place. But it would just take far too long to do that with the rest of the weapons," Mana explained with a dismal expression. "Don't forget, the weapons we've got in place are primarily for street level creeps and defense. The rest of it is a lot heavier, and a _lot_ more dangerous!"

"Fuck!" Mari gritted beneath her breath in disgust at this setback. Pausing to consider the matter, she then asked, "Can we at least make them _look_ like they're functional? You said that we could mount them in place."

"That's right. We could put them in their frame, and we could get them to move about," Mana admitted. "But that's the best we could do. We wouldn't be able to fire them at all!"

"Maybe we wouldn't _have_ to!" Mari retorted before turning towards another. "Doc? Any chance you can help us out on this? Create some kind of illusion that would make the weapons _look_ like they're firing?"

The Avenger that she was speaking to frowned unhappily. "Hmm...I _think_ so. I could put on an impressive show, and I could even cause damage to...well, whatever is hit," the Doctor reported after a moment's consideration. "But I would need time to practice with the weapons. For this to work, I'd have to look at the recordings of these weapons _in action_ in order to make sure that I can create the same kind of effect. To make it look real enough to fool everyone."

"Don't be modest. We all know you can do this," stated the Avenger seated next to the Doctor, who was smiling fondly at him. Then she looked at Mari and added, "Trust me, he can."

"I never doubted he could," Mari returned, having seen this particular Avenger in action back at the Academy. For despite being somewhat lacking in confidence, he had been a successful apprentice to the Sorcerer Supreme in his own world and had turned more than a few heads back in magic class. "Now you say you need time to practice? Fine. You've got time. And you'll have all the help you can get on making this look good, _and_ prepping people to keep Goldie off _and_ out of their minds." With that said, she then swung her gaze at the others present. "Well, I don't know about you, but it sounds to me like we have a workable plan of action on our hands, and not a heck of a lot of time to make it happen! So let's get down to it!"

"Wait," spoke another of her team, one that was frowning heavily. "I have a couple of questions..."

* * *

"A problem, Rally?" Joker R wondered with a glint of surprise in his eyes. "What sort of problem?"

Pressing her lips together, Rally glanced about at her fellow gang members before explaining, "Look...I've been going over the plan you're describing in my head. Looking at the different angles, where you've got everyone so far, and...it _fits!_ It's exactly where any logical person would place them! So far, it's a perfect use of all our capabilities!"

"Well, I'll try not to take offense at the 'logical' part," Joker R declared with a quirking of his lips. "But if you think it's perfect, then what's the -?"

"It's _too_ perfect! It's exactly the kind of placement any strategist would set up, using this team!" Rally said by way of explanation. "Including a certain Mari!"

This got the attention of the others, with May frowning. "Wait...you mean you think she'll see this coming?!"

 _"Exactly!"_ Rally nodded grimly. "When she took us down...the way she did it showed that she'd studied us! That she'd predicted every single move we'd make before we even made it! She knew our weaknesses and exactly how to exploit them!" With that out in the open, the lethal sharpshooter demanded, "We already know that she's bound to figure out that we're going to try something! What's to stop her or anyone else from analyzing the situation, coming up with the very strategy you've come up with, and working up a counter for it?!"

Once again, doubt filled the room, but even so, Joker R was still smiling. "Nothing. Absolutely nothing. In fact, I'd bet anything that you're _right!_ And that at this very moment, our patriotic pain is wracking her so-called brains to figure out what we're up to and come up with a way of scuttling our schemes before we can even have our fun!" But even as this admission settled in the air, Clown Prince of Crime smiled that much more deeply. "And that's precisely what I _want_ for her to be doing!"

Several seconds passed as the other members of the gang stared at Joker R in confused disbelief, visibly unable to fathom what was being told to them. But even as they stared, Jinnai's eyes went wide, and for the first time since he had returned with Nao, a smile creased his face. "Ahhh...you're _playing_ her, aren't you?!" he asked in a way that made it clear that this was not a question. "You've got something _big_ in mind! Something a lot _bigger_ than just putting this Mari out of our misery!"

"Don't I _always,_ Scarecrow?" Joker R wondered in a playful manner. "You see, I fully expect everybody to be anticipating the steps leading up to our grand Fourth of July party! But I've got something _very_ special in mind for the party itself! And not only is Captain Mari going to be the guest of honor for her own funeral...I'm counting on her helping to make certain that _this_ will be a Fourth of July no one in Chicago will _ever_ forget!" Then the Clown Prince of Crime grinned a wicked, wicked grin before saying, "At least...those who are still alive...!"

* * *

"Sure, go ahead," Mari replied to the Avenger who was now raising her hand. "What've you got on your mind?"

"So far, we've been discussing our plans for dealing with the situation regarding the Mansion. That's been our focus this whole time," the Avenger in question explained. "But we haven't given any thought to whatever endgame the Joker R gang and the Golden Four have in mind. I mean...you can't actually believe that all they plan on doing is killing you and nothing else!"

"I don't think anybody in this room is naive enough to think that _any_ Joker would be willing to just kill someone and call it a day," Mari replied with a nod. "And you're right. They're _bound_ to have something big in store for us at City Hall. The problem is...we have no way of knowing that that something is."

"Then how are we supposed to stop them?" Glitter wondered from her own seat.

"Before we give any thought to that, we need to get some more information," Mari told the little fairy. "Which is why, as soon as we're done here, I was planning on heading over to Stronghold, the Champions' headquarters in Chicago. I'm sure that Commander Saotome and the people there will have more information on whatever security measures the Governor is working on, as well as the guests for this party and their own security. And I'd like to know what Champions she's going to be sending to City Hall for the Fourth. Because while I want us to be able to handle our own problems, I think it would be a good idea if we were able to coordinate our efforts with theirs. Improve our chances of taking down both gangs, and keep the people there as safe as we possibly can."

Even as the other Avengers present were nodding in agreement, the one that had started asking questions continued with, "Which brings me to my next question. You've already made it clear that you don't see either gang repeating last year's mistakes. That they're not going to underestimate you again." When Mari nodded to this, the woman confronting her asked, "Well, they have to have figured out that you're going to be coming up with a counter for whatever strategy they're cooking up. So what happens when -?"

"When they have a counter for my counters?" When the spy facing her nodded, Mari smiled a wan version of the cat-like smile alts of her were known for. "My Uncle Steve once told me that no plan survives first contact with the enemy completely intact. And I'm willing to bet that we're going to be in for some pretty nasty surprises when it comes down to the bottom of the ninth. That just means that we're gonna need a few surprises of our own. And we have until the Fourth to make sure that our surprises are the big winners."

"That's not much of a plan," remarked another of Mari's critics on the team with a frown.

"I know. Unfortunately, without more information, we can't really come up with much in the way of a better strategy. And - hey!" The others started as Mari interrupted herself to turn a glare at two of her other critics. "What are you two doing, whispering like that? Don't let the fake glasses fool you; my eyes work perfectly, and so do my _ears!"_ Placing her hands on her hips, the Super Soldier glared at the two of them, who were now looking back at her in annoyance. "Now would you please share with the rest of the class what you were so busy discussing? Or do you want me to do that for you?!"

A beat passed as the two Avengers in question exchanged glances before the first of them declared, "I was just informing _His Majesty_ here that maybe if he hadn't spent so much time trying to have everything done his way, maybe we wouldn't -!"

"Watch it, Sergeant! You may be a military man, but I've trained both soldiers and _kings!"_ countered the other with a gruff look. "I've designed palaces, military installations, vehicles, and more! I've run an entire _country,_ and took down every single blasted idiot who tried to raid us, whether it be a single thief or an entire army of raiders! And every single time, I've -!"

"That was _then,_ this is _now!"_ the Sergeant countered with a devastating glare. "You kept reworking the weapons design, the Mansion's structure, _all of it!_ And all because you didn't agree with how we were doing things!"

"Hey, I _know_ what I'm doing!" the former king countered. "And perhaps if you would all try _listening_ to what I have to say -!"

"If we listened to every word that came out of your mouth, we'd be living in an oversized _cat!"_ the Sergeant shot back. "Well, let me make it perfectly clear; this _ain't_ your kingdom, and you have no authority over me or anyone else here! And if anything happens because you wouldn't stop trying to have every single thing done your way -!"

"What I do _works!"_ the former king snarled, taking a battle-ready stance. "And if you weren't so blasted stubborn -!"

"Oh, now _that's_ rich, coming from you!" the Sergeant retorted, also prepping himself for battle. "You want to see stubborn, then I'll _show you -!"_

 _"That's enough!"_ Mari roared, bringing her shield down upon the table like it was a hammer, the resulting noise not unlike a gong and more than enough to cause everyone present jump slightly and whirl about to face their suddenly irate leader. As the reverberations of the might shield's impact slowly faded away, the Super Soldier heaved deep breath after deep breath as she swung her gaze over the Avengers assembled around her. "You want me to scrap all our plans?! To call the Tower and tell them to send another team to handle everything for us?! That we just can't take care of our _own city?!"_

"Now, wait just a second, girl!" the Sergeant growled, rising up to glare at her. "We can handle this! We can -!"

"You're out of line, soldier!" Mari countered with a piercing glare. "Now sit your ass back down!"

The Sergeant's jaw fell in surprise at this. "Did you just tell me to -?!"

"I said _sit!"_ Mari snarled even as she marched over to him and gave him a forceful shove that sent him back into his seat. "Now I've been putting up with your shit since _day one_ of you being on this team!" Then she turned towards the former king and added, "Same with _you!"_ Then she whirled about to face the others present, especially her detractors. "Now I know you all have doubts about me! And I honestly can't blame you, because, for the most part, your reasons are valid! And I was hoping that I would have time to earn your trust _before_ we had to go into battle! Unfortunately, the universe decided not to oblige me on that count!" Looking hard into the expressions of each of the people who had issues with her command, the Super Soldier glowered and grumbled, "Some of you were leaders of your own team and don't like taking orders from a little girl! Some of you think I just don't have what it takes to be the boss!" Then she glared at one problem case in particular and growled, "And _some_ of you don't give a damn about _anything_ and just continue to look down your noses at me like I was _something you'd scraped off your damn shoe!"_

"Don't you speak about me _or_ my master that way!" countered the headache Zuko had dragged down to join them. "You _know_ how important his meditations are! If he does not purge himself of -!"

"I know all about that! What I have a problem with is the fact that he has completely closed himself off from everyone here but you! _And you keep helping him do it!_ You're _enabling_ him to keep the rest of the world as far away as possible!" Mari broke in before the headache could finish her sentence. "Now I _get_ how much power he has, how _dangerous_ he is! And I get that he's the only one who can get control of himself! But he won't let anyone else even _try_ to help him! And you _and_ him have ignored every attempt to help, every offer of friendship, _everything!_ And that is _not_ how a team _works!"_ Pausing to heave a deep breath at this, she then again swept the room with her gaze. "Now I know you all have problems! With me, and this team! But now is _not_ the time for it! Because, in case you haven't figured it out yet, we have a potential crisis on our hands! Now maybe something will happen, and maybe it won't! But if something _does_ happen, I want this team to act like Avengers and be ready to _deal with it!"_

Giving this all a moment to sink in, Mari then stood as straight as she could, and once more swept the room with her glare. "If any of you can't shove whatever issues you have off to the side long enough for us to get this job done...you know where the front door is. Use it. Just be sure to be gone before I get back from Stronghold because I'll be expecting everyone still here when I get back to be ready and willing to do their jobs! Meeting _adjourned!"_

With this declaration, Mari then started towards the exit, already planning on retrieving her battlesuit for when she met with Commander Saotome. But before she could even reach the door, a voice sounded in her head. Princess Mari? the voice began, causing her to pause in mid-step and glower back at one of the team. The one member who could be the owner of this mental voice. I cannot speak for anyone else here, but...you have had my loyalty since I first swore myself to you, and you shall have it as long as I serve under your command. If you command me to offer my life to protect others...then I will do so willingly, without hesitation. I stand ready to follow any order you give me.

A beat passed as Mari considered this Avenger's words, and was followed by several seconds of her eyes wandering to Maria, then Mana, then Al and Glitter. The Avengers this team had begun with. And as she did so, they all smiled reassuringly, making it clear that the Avenger who had spoken...had spoken for them as well.

Heartened by the gesture of close friends and a relative stranger alike, Mari managed a weary sigh and a slight smile. "Alright, then...I've got two orders for you right now," she began, watching as the Avenger she was confronting bowed down towards her. "First, I want you to oversee the situation here. Because I want everyone who's planning on sticking around working on getting this Mansion and themselves ready for the Fourth of July. And be ready to hand me a report on the situation as soon as I get back."

Yes, Princess Mari, the Avenger returned, bowing his head ever so slightly. And your second order...?

"For you to _please_ stop calling me 'Princess'!" Mari pleaded him earnestly.

Yes, Princess Mari, the Avenger in question replied. An answer that earned a few chuckles and, judging from the expressions on the faces of the others, had successfully defused much of the tension the recent argument had caused to build up.

As for Mari, she rolled her eyes, threw her arms into the air, and decided that half a loaf was once again better than nothing, before once again turning on her heels and starting out the door. "The clock's ticking, Avengers," she intoned as she exited the Assembly Hall. "So let's get to it!"

* * *

Author's Notes: And here we have Chapter 2! Hope you enjoy!


	3. Challenged by the Champions

Disclaimer: I do not own Evangelion, any of the characters or concepts depicted here, or anything associated with them. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Rise of the Extraordinary Avengers

Chapter 3: Challenged by the Champions

"So that's Stronghold, huh?" Mari mused as she studied the imposing structure before her. "I guess the designer wasn't being paid for originality."

In a city filled with many skyscrapers, Stronghold was at first glance very similar to them. Basically a great big box with doors on the first floor, numerous windows, and people filing in and out of it. But all it took was a second glance to differentiate it from the many buildings surrounding it.

First, it was very large, being several stories taller than its neighbors, which was doubtlessly to accommodate the quarters for the Champions that called it home, training facilities, offices, workspaces, laboratories, and more. The second big difference was that it was situated in the middle of the Stingray Industries Chicago compound, which was surrounded by both a very sturdy defensive wall, as well as a mix of regular office buildings and a cleaner version of a Cyberpunk corporate industrial area. Third, instead of concrete, the exterior of Stronghold was armor-plated and bore several old scorch marks like scars from various past battles. Fourth, there were a couple costumed heroes landing on what appeared to be a helipad on the building's roof. And finally, Mari's keen eyes could spot indentations marking ports where the metal could slide open, both in Stronghold itself and the wall surrounding it. Doubtlessly revealing various weapons designed to obliterate everything from low-class thugs to various Kaiju and Eldritch Abominations that had decided to stomp Chicago into paste.

Bottom line, it was as formidable-looking a place as Mari cared to imagine, but was very cold and austere in design, reminiscent of the aesthetics of NERV Headquarters from the world of her origin. _And while it might get the job done, I'm_ definitely _loving the Mansion's design a heck of a lot more!_ she couldn't help but think as she made her way towards the outer wall of the Stingray Industries complex, her battlesuit drawing a few looks from curious passerby. _Tough as nails, but with an old world charm that would make Devon Miles of the Foundation feel right at home._

Taking comfort in the image of her home, incomplete as it was, and the way it reminded her of the British countryside when she had visited her Aunt Sharon and Uncle Jonathon's farm, Mari made her way up to one of the doorways that would lead her through the outer wall. Right in front of it was several small lanes, each with an array of scanners and a card reader. Withdrawing her Avengers ID Card, Mari slid it through the reader, which promptly beeped. "Please stand still for identity scan," came a computerized voice even as the scanners went to work, making certain that her physical data conformed to that which was on her file as a registered superhero. "Identity confirmed. Welcome, Captain America."

"Thank you!" Mari nonchalantly replied as she continued through the door ahead, which opened just long enough to allow her passage. As soon as she was inside, the door slammed shut, greatly reducing the chances that anyone short of an alternate of the Flash or Quicksilver could slide on through.

When Mari reached Stronghold itself, she was forced to repeat this exercise with another doorway, card reader, and scanners, before finally gaining entry to the Champions' Headquarters itself. And once she was finally inside, she was confronted with an array of security personal and other defensive devices, all in place to make sure that Stronghold wasn't subjected to unwanted guests of the villainous variety.

Fortunately, it wasn't long before Mari's Avengers ID Card blazed a trail for her past the many layers of security, and even as she was thinking that she knew a few Tony Starks that would likely have a few words to say about the security precautions in effect there and how they could be improved, she made her way into a lobby that was as cold and efficient as the exterior of the building and started towards the building's legend. "Now, let's see..." she mused as she studied the listing of the various offices and locations. "Where the heck is Misato's office at...?"

Even as she asked this, privately thinking that it might have been a good idea to call ahead before marching out of the Mansion in a huff, Mari's ears pricked at something, and she could feel the air currents shifting about. The training she had received kicked in, and she turned about and looked up to see a figure clad in crimson and gold armor with the emblem of a spider emblazoned upon his chest adhering to the ceiling. "Well, what have we here?" Mari wondered with a cat-like smile. "Didn't anybody tell you it's rude to sneak up on people like that?"

"Aw, man!" what could only be an amalgam of Spider-Man wearing a variant of the Stark Iron Spider armor complained even as he spun a web and lowered himself down to look Mari in the eye. "What gave me away?"

"The fact that you were there. You may have been the next best thing to silent, but that doesn't mean you don't disturb the air currents when you move," Mari returned. "And since I've learned the Stealth Hi/Bye from some of the best, I'm not the easiest girl to sneak up on." Watching as the Spider-Man amalgam flipped down to land on the floor, she extended her hand towards him. "Mari Illustrious Makinami, aka...well, I'm sure you can guess."

"Sure can! And wow, it's great to have a chance to meet you!" the Spider-amalgam replied even as his armor retracted from his head, revealing the head of a Kensuke Aida alternate. "I'm...well, I'm guessing you might have met one of me before now."

"Sure have!" Mari honestly replied as she accepted Kensuke's hand and gave it a hearty shake. "Both here, and...well, where I was before." As the armored spider nodded his understanding, the Super Soldier wondered, "Hey, since you're here, you mind doing me a favor?"

"Sure! What is it?" Kensuke wondered.

"See, it's my first time here, and I'm looking for Commander Saotome's office," Mari said by way of explanation. "Any chance you could point me in the right direction?"

"Hey, I could do better than that!" Kensuke replied with an eager expression. "I was on my way to report in on a fight with some of the local thugs, so why don't I just show you the way?"

"Works for me," Mari decided, making a bowing gesture. "So...lead the way!"

"With pleasure!" Kensuke replied even as he started down a nearby hallway, with Mari following a short distance behind and off to his side.

As Mari surveyed the alternate of Kensuke, who had the athletic musculature of most spider-based heroes she had encountered, she found herself asking, "By the way, I didn't know the Chicago Champions had a Spider on their team."

Laughing slightly, Kensuke replied, "That's because I'm not on this team. I mean, I'm not part of this branch." When Mari frowned her surprise, he went on to explain, "See, I'm with the New York/New Jersey branch, on here as part of an exchange. Have some business I have to take care of here in Chicago."

"Ah, I see," Mari nodded thoughtfully. "Hope you won't take this the wrong way, but...I'm not used to seeing a Kensuke who didn't need glasses. Got your eyes fixed when you got your powers?"

"Sure did!" Kensuke grinned eagerly. "But I...I still wear a fake set out of costume." The Spider-Amalgam gave a hapless shrug before adding, "Got so used to them when I actually had a cover to maintain! You know, so I could say, 'How could I be Spider-Man? Can't see two feet in front of me without these'!"

"I know how that is," Mari admitted with a smile. "I still wear my fake glasses as well. Just used to it by now, and..." Then she shot her guide a devious grin before adding, "Besides, you'd be amazed the kinds of gizmos and gadgets you can squeeze into a set of glasses."

"Doubtful," Kensuke smiled in good humor as they boarded an elevator. After pressing a few buttons, the web-slinger then noted, "I have to admit, I haven't met many Maris that were also Captain Americas."

"Neither have I. Though I did hear of some that wound up changing their names sometime after they landed here," Mari admitted, understanding full well the prejudice that was likely a factor in this. Then she grinned before stating, "Though I've _also_ heard that some have been changing their names _back_ after the last Fourth of July!"

"Yeah, I heard about that!" Kensuke admitted. "That is, I heard about what happened last year! Aw, man, that must've been intense!"

"That's one way of putting it," Mari admitted with a thoughtful nod.

"You know, I heard about how they're giving you the Key to the City on the Fourth this year! Man, that's something!" Kensuke grinned. When Mari replied by giving him a disbelieving look, he shrank back a bit before amending his words. "I mean...okay, yeah, sure, it means that the Joker R gang is probably going to show up and try and wreck things, but - hey! It's sure nice to get that kind of recognition!" When Mari made a show of rolling her eyes at this, the spidery otaku then asked, "So, um...I'm guessing that's why you're here?"

"Good guess," Mari confirmed. "And it's not 'probably' going to show up. It's more like 'definitely' gonna show up!"

"Ahh," Kensuke replied, only to frown slightly. "Uh, wait, did you call ahead? You know, make an appointment? Let Commander Saotome know you were coming?"

A beat passed before Mari made a face before admitting, "Actually...I was kind of POed about some stuff when I headed out here, so...I didn't even think about that." When Kensuke's eyes went wide with surprise, she gave a sheepish grin in response. "Uh...you don't suppose she'll be in a meeting, do you?"

"I don't think so. But she _does_ probably have a lot of paperwork to take care of," Kensuke admits. "I hope she hasn't had much to deal with today. That stuff really makes her angry, and -!"

"- and you wouldn't like her when she's angry," Mari concluded at the same time as Kensuke. "Yeah, I know the drill. And I've actually _seen_ her angry, so I should know about that. Just as I _should've_ known to call ahead." Heaving a deep breath, she glanced up at the ceiling before saying, "Oh, well. I've survived angry Kryptonians. I can handle a cranky Misato."

"I wouldn't be so sure of that!" Kensuke warily noted even as the elevator opened up to their floor. Nonetheless, he still led the way out onto the current floor, which looked almost identical to the floor they had left behind. Deciding that she would have fired the interior decorator, Mari continued to follow her guide, passing by door after virtually identical door until at last, he came to stop and knock on one of them. "Commander Saotome?"

"Come in," came Misato's voice. Without hesitation, Kensuke opened the door and ducked in just enough to confront the Champions' Commander, who was seated at her desk, glaring hatefully at several piles of deforestation, looking like she would much rather be smashing thugs into oblivion even as she looked up at her visitor and forced a smile onto her face. "Oh, hello, Ken. Any trouble?"

"Nope. Wrapped up those bank robbers and handed them over to the police. Just need to file my report." When Misato nodded somewhat, Kensuke groaned in hesitation before saying, "Uh...Commander? There's someone who wants to see you. She doesn't have an appointment, but..."

An instant was all Misato needed for her eyes to light up with realization. "Let me guess," she began, eyeing past Kensuke. "One Mari 'Captain America' Makinami?"

Looking especially chagrined, Kensuke grinned sheepishly before moving off to the side to allow Mari entrance. "Hey, Commander," she noted, glancing down at the mounds of inane red tape piled on her desk. "I see the paperwork is breeding as fast as ever."

"If not faster," Misato grumbled before returning her attention to the wall-crawler. "Alright, Ken, you can go now." Not needing further invitation, the Spider-Man amalgam disappeared out the door, which closed right behind him, leaving Mari alone with the Commander. "So, I think I can very easily guess why you're here."

"If your guess is Governor Asswipe and his stupid ceremony, you've guessed correctly," Mari assured Misato as she approached the desk. "Look, I'm sorry I didn't bother calling you before showing up unannounced, but - I only just found out about, and -!"

"No, no, it's fine," Misato grumbled, waving Mari's concerns aside. "Truth is...I really should've told you about this myself." Glancing behind her towards a small refrigerator that was likely laden with at least a few alcoholic beverages, the Commander then sighed and returned her focus to her visitor. "Look, if it's all the same to you, do you mind if we spent some time getting caught up? I could use a break from all this damned paperwork."

"Fine. I'm not in any hurry," Mari admitted with a shrug, thinking of the frustrating disputes that awaited her back at the Mansion. "Though to be honest, I don't even know why you don't have an AI taking care of that kind of bullshit like JARVIS does for the Avengers."

A beat passed as Misato looked squarely at Mari, her eyes rounding with surprise. "What?" she asked, clearly uncertain if she had heard her correctly. _"JARVIS_ handles your paperwork for you? Seriously?"

"That's right," Mari nodded in confirmation. "I have to admit, I'm glad for that. I remember this one fight back in New York with some Kryptonian criminals and _plenty_ of collateral damage! JARVIS had all the paperwork and crap all handled before we even got back to the Tower!"

Glancing between Mari and the mounds of bureaucratic bull that was marking her desk and back again, Misato grumbled, "Sounds like being an Avenger has some nice perks." Then she gave a slight shrug before wondering, "So how's the Mansion coming along? Still having troubles with construction?"

"Like you can't believe. In fact, that's a big part of my current mess," Mari admitted, making a face at this. "Between supply problems and mishaps and certain someones trying to redesign the Mansion before we've even finished building it, we've got bullshit up the wazoo!"

"I know how _that_ feels!" Misato grumbled sourly. "You should see the kind of mess we have to deal with when this place gets damaged! Like what happened last October! _Dammit,_ was that ever a _mess!"_

"What _wasn't_ a mess then?!" Mari wondered with a scowl, recalling the Kaiju vs Humungous Mecha battle royale that had been last Halloween. "Still...this place looks pretty tough. It couldn't have been _too_ messed up."

"Well, it's no Infinite Avengers Tower, but...it's home," Misato declared with a hint of pride. "So, what's it like, your new Mansion? Much of a step down?"

"Oh, not at all!" Mari returned with a measure of pride herself. "I mean...the underground levels might not have the 'bigger on the inside than on the outside' part, but the upper floors...everything you could ever want in a home. And we've got training rooms, a gym, medical center, and a lab for Mana. And we've got even more stuff that's still in the works, but it's coming along. Hanger for the _American Dream_ and our other vehicles, swimming pool, bar -"

"A _bar?!"_ Misato jumped, her eyes wide with disbelief. "You have a _bar_ at the Mansion?!"

A beat passed as Mari recovered before shrugging. "Sure we do," she finally replied. "Heck, that was pretty much the first thing to be put in!"

Slumping forward somewhat and glaring at Mari for a time, Misato then grumbled, "As soon as that Mansion of yours is finished, I'm coming by for a tour of the facilities." When the Super Soldier nodded to this, the Champions Commander grumbled, "Alright, enough shop talk. Why don't you tell me what brought you down here."

"Sure," Mari replied, and without hesitation, she described how she had been called down to the Governor's office that morning and had subsequently been told about his plans to give the Key to the City in a big ceremony on the Fourth of July. She also explained the bad position it put her in, choosing to either risk disclosing the Mansion's existence before it was complete, or damaging her own standing as the leader of her team by trusting someone over that team to deal with their situation in their stead. "Now I'm sure you know the kind of fun the local villains would have at our expense if they learned how vulnerable the Mansion was. And, well...you've _seen_ the lineup I've got. The kind of hard heads I've got knocking together."

"I know. Remember, I've actually _met_ some of those hard heads!" Misato assured her with a wan smile. "And I also understand how hard it can be to earn people's respect. To be a leader, and to deal with people when you make decisions that they don't like." Then the Commander's smile faded as she looked squarely at Mari and said, "And that's why I really don't like having to do this."

Taken aback somewhat, Mari frowned before asking, "Having to do _what?"_

Heaving a deep breath, Misato glanced about the interior of her office before saying, "Mari...I want you to have your team stand down." A surprised breath escaped the Super Soldier's lips at this, the only sound to be heard in the wake of the Commander's words. "Whatever plans you might have made for dealing with the Joker R gang and Golden Four...scrap them. Let the Champions handle this."

Several seconds passed as the two women looked at each other, with Mari snorting out a fake laugh. "Uh...aside from the obvious reason of having an incomplete Mansion... _why?"_

"Because I need you to. Because...it's what would be best for the both of us," Misato hesitantly went on. When Mari visibly became more confused, the Champions Commander went on. "You see...I knew, before you even met with the Governor today...what he had planned. He contacted me personally late in June. Told me about what he had planned, and that he wanted Stingray Industries to provide security for the ceremony."

"He called _you_ before he even mentioned it to _me?!"_ Mari demanded, now feeling a bit insulted on top of everything else. "And why didn't you tell me about all this if you already knew?!"

"Because I didn't know how. Because there was no easy way for me to explain _why_ I needed you to stand down, let us handle this," Misato continued with a slight frown. "You see...what happened last year was a complete disaster as far as the Champions and Stingray Industries are concerned. Because while you were able to take down both the Golden Four and Joker R gang, the fact remains that they were just seconds away from completely destroying Chicago and taking control of the heads of the Foundation, the governor, and a whole lot more. And we didn't do a damn thing. We didn't even know we were in danger until _after_ you tore them apart!"

"Hey, I _tried_ to warn you!" Mari hotly protested.

"I know. Just as I know that a certain Naru who's now working in a sewage plant is the reason you weren't able to get through to us," Misato assured her. "And trust me, no one in the Champions would even think of blaming you for what you did. Because if not for you, this entire city would be under Goldie's and Joker R's thumbs right now. So if you ask me, you've _earned_ that Key to the City." Once this was said, the Champions Commander heaved a deep sigh. "But the fact remains that the Champions were completely blind to what was happening until it was already over. An entire team of superheroes and not one of us had so much as a clue as to what was happening, let alone did anything to stop it. Instead, we had a lone superhero on _probation_ with most of her equipment and powers locked down saving the day for us." Giving this a bit of time to sink in, Misato sighed before saying, "Now you've mentioned that you're worried about how you'll look to your team if you let the Champions take care of this for you. So just imagine how the Champions looked for having had _you_ do their job for _them?"_

It didn't take long for Mari to realize Misato's point. "But - wait! It wasn't just the Champions! I mean, it's not like you're the only hero team in town!" she promptly protested. "There's the local X-Men, and there's Katsuragi's Krushers -!"

"The X-Men might be supported by Graymalkin Industries, but they're still an independent group on paper. And the Krushers are part of Heroes for Hire, and deal with situations on a job-to-job basis," Misato patiently explained. "But the Champions are a corporate superteam that is supposed to be on the job 24/7. And if something like this can happen without us even realizing it, then people start to doubt us. They think that, if we dropped the ball once, we can do it again. Also, you have to understand that the Champions essentially represent Stingray Industries as a whole. So when the Champions look good, Stingray Industries looks good." A beat passed before she added, "But when we look _bad...!"_

Realizing the purple-haired woman's point, Mari opened her mouth to protest. "But the Champions have done a _lot_ of good since then! Cleaned up a lot of messes!" she countered. "That fiasco with last Halloween! It was the Champions that shut that one down! And that was a lot _bigger_ than the Joker R gang or Golden Four!"

"You're right, but that was a special response team that handled that, not us. It's the _Chicago_ team that has egg on their face as a result of what happened. And don't forget that Chicago is home to Stingray Industries' North American headquarters," Misato reminded her. "Also, with the Fourth of July coming up again, people are remembering what happened last year. And with this ceremony, people are going to be thinking about it that much more. About the fact that the Champions weren't there to save them. And that's something Ms. Stingray is _not_ happy about."

Now this was something Mari hadn't expected. "You've talked to your boss about this?"

"I have. Fact is, Sylia heard about it almost as soon as I did," Misato explained with a heavy frown. _"And_ she also knows about your team. So she's made it abundantly clear that she wants to take this opportunity to clean off some of that egg on our faces. Reassure the people of Chicago that the Champions are ready to protect them from _any_ danger. Meaning that this ceremony would be a perfect opportunity for that." Pausing to again heave a deep breath, the Commander went on to explain, "Now think about it. If we're there, and nothing happens, then fine. The Champions look good, you get your Key to the City. Everyone goes home happy. If the Joker R gang and Golden Four pull something, and the Champions take them down, either with or without you, then we still look good, and maybe people will start to forget about what happened last year."

"Hold on!" Mari protested, starting to get annoyed. "You're talking about corporate images when people's _lives_ might be in danger! And my team -!"

"Isn't ready. Neither is your Mansion. You've admitted as much yourself," Misato interjected, stilling Mari's mouth. "Now...if the Avengers _were_ working together smoothly, and the Mansion was _fully_ operational, I personally wouldn't have any problem with you helping us out here. As it is, your team isn't ready for the field. And if you try to help us out, you stand to hurt yourselves a lot more than you'd be helping us!" As the shield slinger was forced to silently concede these points, the Commander went on to explain, "In any event, Ms. Stingray has made it abundantly clear to me that she wants to take this chance to repair any damage done to our image. She's _very_ serious about that." A beat passed before Misato added, "So serious, in fact, that she's going to be joining us at the ceremony."

This revelation had Mari's eyes virtually popping out of their sockets. "Wait - you mean that the _owner of Stingray Industries_ is going to be there?! Live and in person?!" she demanded in a disbelieving fashion. "Why doesn't she just stick her head into a lion's mouth while she's at it?! It'd be a heck of a lot safer!"

"Sylia's no stranger to dangerous situations, Mari," Misato promptly reminded her. "And by doing a public appearance like this, it'll show the people that she has full confidence in the Champions and our capabilities."

"In other words, another publicity stunt," Mari grumbled sourly. "I'm in this mess because of _one_ publicity stunt, and your boss is taking advantage of it to put on _another!"_

"I won't dispute that," Misato assured her. "But the bottom line is that Ms. Stingray has made it very clear to me that she wants the Champions to handle this by ourselves. With the exception of you and maybe one or two guests...she doesn't want the Avengers involved if at all possible, so...she told me to tell you to get your team to stand down."

Several seconds passed as Mari looked hard at Misato. "But - wait! Will your team be able to handle this? I mean, no offense, but I know the Joker R gang has given you plenty of trouble before!"

"That's true. But they've never been able to _beat_ us, either." A beat passed before Misato gave a slight smile. "Tell you what; why don't I show you what we have planned for the Joker R gang and Golden Four?" she decided, rising up from behind her desk. "Maybe if I can show you we've got this covered, you'll be able to assure your team that there's no need for them to get involved."

"I wouldn't be so sure of that, but..." Mari began, frowning slightly. Then she rose up from her own seat and added, "Part of the reason I came here was to find out what security precautions you had in mind for the Fourth, so...might as well!"

Nodding to this, Misato went up to the door and opened it up. "Walk this way," she spoke, right before turning back towards Mari and adding, "And _no,_ I didn't mean that _literally!"_

"Relax, that one's so old it's got Moses' footprints on it," Mari countered, knowing her reputation for jokes. "Just lead the way and show me why I should put up and shut up."

Seeming satisfied with this, Misato then led the way through even more identical hallways. Deciding that she could be bored to sleep just by looking at the decor, Mari followed the Commander, who guided her into what looked like a meeting room. "Hey, everyone!" Misato greeted the people inside cheerfully. "So, how are preparations going?"

"Fine, Misato!" came the voice of a Shinji Ikari. But one completely unlike the Shinji Ikari Mari had known in the world of her origin.

"Now, I hope I'm not disturbing you, but I have someone I'd like for you to meet. This is Mari Illustrious Makinami, aka Captain America," Misato began, gesturing at the Super Soldier. Even as the three of them smiled warmly, the Commander gestured at the three Champions who were seated at a table, looking over plans for City Hall and the surrounding area. "Mari, these are the Champions I've hand-selected to handle security at the ceremony in your honor. Over there is Shinji Ikari, aka Superman Gamma," Misato began, gesturing at the Shinji alt in a Superman suit who was far buffer than your average Shinji Ikari. "Next to him is Hikari Horaki, our Martian Manhunter," she continued, gesturing at a green-skinned girl with freckles, red hair that was done up in pigtails, and like her boyfriend Superman Gamma, was much buffer than an ordinary Hikari. "And finally, that's Nadia La Arwall, the Illinois Sub-Mariner," she concluded, gesturing at a similarly buff girl with dark skin, short purple hair, pointed ears, white wings on her ankles, and was clad only in a two-piece bikini that left nothing to the imagination.

"Oh, hello," Shinji greeted Mari with a shy smile even as Nadia gave a playful wave and Hikari a polite nod.

As for Mari, all she could do was stand there, staring in dumbfounded surprise at the three Champions before her, unable to fathom the reality of the situation. "Uh..." she finally managed to get out even as she glanced over at Misato. "So...where's the rest of the team?"

This stilled the polite greetings being given Mari, as well as visibly threw Misato for a loop, who required a few seconds to recover and reply, "This _is_ the team, Mari. The whole team. Right here."

Her eyes going wide, Mari glanced from Misato to the three Champions and back again. "That's it?" she demanded disbelievingly. "Just the three of them? That's _all?!"_

"Um..." Shinji started, looking perplexedly at Hikari while Nadia was starting to look annoyed. "Well, we can't really spare more than three for this. Not when we have to keep watch over the rest of the city _and_ state."

"What's your problem?" Nadia crossly demanded, rising to her feet and folding her arms across her chest. "You think we can't handle this?!"

"Uh...okay, it's obvious that we're getting off to a bad start, so let me try again," Mari spoke in as soothing a tone as she could manage. "First of all, I know I haven't been onboard with the Avengers for all that long. But I know enough about the standard superhero operating procedure when it comes to award ceremonies and whatnot that you don't just field three heroes and let it go at that. I mean...take that Guy Gardner's wedding! They had quite a few folks from both the Green Lantern Honor Guard and Justice League Unlimited there to make sure that nobody showed up to ruin the happy occasion! But you're only fielding _three_ Champions for this thing?"

Sighing and nodding tiredly, Misato soon replied, "That's a fair point, Mari. But because of orders from Sylia and some other problems that we've been monitoring, we simply can't spare anybody else for this assignment."

"Besides, just look at us!" Nadia chimed in, gesturing at herself. "You have a Kryptonian, a Martian, and Submariner! That's a whole lot of muscle! And honestly, a lot more than I think is necessary!"

"Which brings me to my second point," Mari replied. "Now before I say anything else, I just want to say that I know all about you. I've read the reports, and I know that each of you is pretty damned badass. I know that." When it was clear that Nadia was not at all impressed, the star-spangled girl went on to say, "I'm just saying that you three as a team would be asking for trouble!"

"Why?" Hikari wondered, clearly befuddled.

"Two reasons," Mari returned, holding up two fingers of her right hand. "One; all three of you have Kryptonite Factors that both the Joker R gang and Golden Four not only know about but have been known to be equipped to exploit." As Shinji and Hikari exchanged glances, the Super Soldier went on to explain, "I mean...I heard about this one time when the Joker R gang decided to dump something in the Great Lakes, and what happened when Submariner R and his girlfriends tried to stop them. Your Atlantean Ranma wound up being cooked by a heat ray their Scarecrow had whipped up, and Supergirl Rei took a beating from their Bane and her Kryptonite knuckles! And if it weren't for your Captain Marvel pulling a Big Damned Heroes -!"

"That wasn't even us!" Nadia incredulously protested. "And besides, all of the Joker R and Golden Four's weapons and equipment was confiscated and _destroyed!"_

"That was a _year_ ago! Who knows how much they've been able to replace and rebuild since then!" Mari countered. "Besides, you're still an Atlantean, and he's still a Kryptonian, meaning that you have the same basic vulnerabilities. And Hikari...no offense, but someone could exploit your Kryptonite Factor with a _book of matches!"_ When Nadia just continued to glower at the Super Soldier, she rolled her eyes and groaned. "Anyway, my point is, all three of you have serious vulnerabilities that the Joker R gang knows of _and_ have been known to exploit in the past! So without backup - a person who _doesn't_ have a Kryptonite Factor - you're going to be in it deep if the bad guys come to the party loaded with the right tricks!" Then she heaved a deep breath before adding, "Also, Hikari - and I really hope you don't take this the wrong way, since I know my people skills need some actual skills - but I also heard about what happened when you tried getting into the heads of Joker R and his girlfriend. And...I'm not so sure that putting you into a position where you'd be having to deal with them again would be such a great idea..."

"I understand. And you're right; it took me a long time to get over what happened to me then," Hikari replied with an understanding nod. "But there's more to me than my telepathy. And to be honest...I _want_ to do this. If I'm going to be a part of this team, then...I _need_ to be ready to deal with them. I can't let what they did to me dominate me; keep me from helping the people I love..."

As Hikari and Shinji exchanged a look that was fully capable of giving people diabetes, Mari sighed. "I get that. And I totally support you wanting to get back in the saddle and do you what you have to do. I'm just not sure this is the best situation for it." Giving a slight shake of her head, she then turned to Misato. "I - why these three, anyway? Why'd you pick them?"

"Because they're all strong and experienced heroes. In fact, Shinji and Hikari have been with this team since the Champions were founded," Misato reminded Mari, looking somewhat annoyed at this point. "Furthermore, they're all very gifted in dealing with the press, something that they're going to _have_ to deal with at the ceremony. With you, the governor, and a bunch of other movers and shakers and celebrities all there, this is going to be one great big media circus. And the Champions need all the good public imagery we can get right now."

"Can't you throw in someone who _doesn't_ have a Kryptonite Factor who's also good with the press?" Mari wondered hopefully. "What about you? You've mastered the 'no comment' and so on!"

"The last time I had to deal with the press, I had a very bad time dealing with one Jack McGee," Misato countered. "Besides, a gamma mutant's temper doesn't mix well with this kind of situation."

"How about Yui?" Mari asked hopefully. "She's as a cool as a cucumber!"

"But she also puts people off at times," Misato pointed out. "Sometimes, people get the feeling of the Uncanny Valley with her. And she has a hard time being as expressive as she likes, which can make dealing with the press a lot harder."

"Wonder Girl Rei?" Mari tried once again. "All she has to do is smile a bit, show some leg, and say 'yes', 'no', and 'no comment'!"

"Same problem with Yui," Misato replied. "Rei's people skills don't work well in that sort of situation."

"Captain Marvel Asuka? Or maybe that Spider-Kensuke I ran into?" Mari tried with flagging hopes. Only for Misato to give her a look that had her groaning in dismay. "Yeah, I can't believe I said that, either..."

As Mari groaned despondently, unable to believe she was dealing with something as stupid as this, Misato gave her an understanding smile. "Look, I understand your concerns, but trust me, we've got this handled," she assured the Super Soldier. "First of all, you have to understand that it won't just be Champions at the ceremony. The Champions are only one part of the Stingray Security Services Metahuman Response Division. And while we're the flashiest and get the most attention, those three will be far from the only ones Stingray Industries will have at the ceremony."

When Mari again looked up at Misato, she frowned slightly. "Unless you're talking about something a heck of a lot better than a Redshirt Army that's guaranteed to be completely killed off within ten seconds of Joker R laughing, I'm not impressed."

"Then prepare to _be_ impressed," Misato returned in a slightly smug manner as she made her way up to the table and gestured at the map there. "In addition to these three, we're going to have three plainclothes units from the SSSMRD in a position to help deal with one or both gangs. Each unit will consist of twelve heavily armed agents, all in disguise. And we have various kind of talent on hand; Klingons, Asari, as well as other forms of extraterrestrials. We also have cyborgs, androids, demons...you name it. All prepped to blend in perfectly with the crowd, and armed to the teeth. One of the units will be mingling with the crowd in front of City Hall," she continued, pointing at the place on the map where the ceremony would take place, "and in the two buildings facing City Hall. They'll be perfectly positioned to deal with any situation that arises, they're all trained to deal with telepathic intrusion and to counter gasses and various poisons...we're talking about the best of the _best."_

Several seconds passed as Mari considered this before ultimately frowning. "So it _is_ a Redshirt Army."

"Mari...!" Misato grumbled, a glint of green showing in her eyes.

"Sorry, but - so far, you haven't described a single thing that I know I for one wouldn't be able to handle," Mari protested. "And with both gangs having spent so much time underground, I'm willing to bet that they'll be coming back even tougher than ever! No _way_ they're gonna let what happened to them last year happen again!"

"And on that, I'm in complete agreement with you," Misato quickly assured her. "But the Champions have been training as well. Furthermore, there's something else you should see before you make any further snap judgments." With that, the Champions Commander reached into her flight jacket and pulled out what looked like an ID Card. "This is Commander Saotome to Spider-Man K. Please report to War Room 16 immediately."

"I'll be right there, Misato-sama!" came Kensuke's eager voice on the other end.

As Misato returned her ID Card to her flight jacket, Mari gave a lopsided smile. "So, the Champions have their own fancy ID Cards. Copyright infringement, anyone?"

"One of the spoils of war from when Stingray Industries got into that tussle with Stark Industries and Stane International," Misato quickly replied. "Now, as you've already made a point of saying, all three members of the team have some very serious vulnerabilities that both the Joker R gang and the Golden Four have exploited in the past. Which would mean that putting them in a position like this where they would be out in the open for a prolonged period of time and easy targets for whatever both gangs might have on hand would, under _normal_ circumstances, be really stupid." When Mari nodded in response, the Commander gave a smug smile. "So I had Ken and Yui get to work on some special items that would protect them from such tactics. You see -"

"Here I am, Misato-sama!" Kensuke replied as he opened the door, an eager grin on his face.

"Ah, perfect timing!" Misato replied. "Ken, I was just telling Mari about some of the special equipment you've been helping make for our resident Kryptonians and Atlanteans. Would you be so kind as to show it to her?"

"Oh, sure! No problem!" Kensuke eagerly replied, already making his way over to the side, where a small storage closet waited. "Let's see..." he muttered even as he opened up the closet and began rummaging about in it. "Ah! Here we are!" With yet another broad grin, the Spider-Man amalgam pulled out two odd objects. The first was a golden, mechanical harness with an armored version of the S-Shield Superman and Supergirl alternates and amalgams were known for, and some fancy, mechanical collar. "I've been working on these to help give our team some added protection in the field."

"That's right," Misato nodded with deep satisfaction. "Now, would you mind telling Mari what exactly they are?"

Nodding to this, Kensuke held up the S-Shield harness. "This is a specially designed photonic force harness! It surrounds the user in an aura that radiates the same exact frequency as a yellow sun!" he eagerly explained. "On top of that, it also protects the wearer from other forms of radiation, like Kryptonite _and_ red sun radiation!"

"Knocking out _two_ of a Kryptonian's biggest weaknesses," Misato declared with an air of triumph. "Not to mention giving them a constant supply of yellow sun energy to fuel their powers."

"And this nanotech collar which, when activated, surrounds the wearer in a sealed moisture sheathe! Like a second skin to keep them fully hydrated!" Kensuke informed them. "Once engaged, it gathers and condenses moisture from the air and regulates it about their skin, as well as giving added protection from heat-based weapons."

"Which takes care of an Atlantean's biggest weakness!" Misato added, her smile broadening. "See, Mari? We're on top of this. So there's no need for the Avengers to get involved."

But even despite Misato's assurances, Mari couldn't help but frown even as she studied the devices in question. "You know, My Uncle Steve doesn't like the idea of depending on tech like it was a crutch," she intoned unhappily. "It can fail, it can break. So what happens when the gangs take note of the nice new toys your team is wearing and make a point of breaking them right _before_ they break out the heat rays and Kryptonite?"

It was clear that Misato was getting frustrated with her inability to sway Mari, and the others were starting to look annoyed as well. _"My_ stuff?! Break?!" Kensuke hotly protested even as the Champions selected for the mission started glaring at her. "Are you kidding?!"

"Mari, _please!_ You're not making this any easier on _any_ of us!" Misato pleaded of her. "Why do you have to be so stubborn?!"

"Because you put together a team based on how good they are at _schmoozing with the press_ instead of how well-suited they are for a mission like this!" Mari countered. "And they're gonna get _killed_ for it!"

"Hey! Believe it or not, we _do_ know how to do our jobs!" Nadia declared, pointing an accusing finger at Mari. "Don't act all superior just because you got lucky last year! Because that's all it _was!_ Dumb _luck!"_

"I'm not saying you don't know how to do your jobs! I'm _saying_ that you just aren't the _right_ ones for _this_ job!" Mari countered heatedly. "And don't you call what I went through last year _luck!_ I've had to deal with more than a few people sneering at me about that!"

Nadia looked ready to counter this, but before she could say anything, Shinji positioned himself between the two girls and held out his hands towards them both. "Look...I understand why you're worried, Mari. But we've dealt with the Joker R gang and Golden Four a lot, and we're all alive to tell about it," the Kryptonian pointed out. "So what makes you so sure that we might be killed?"

"Because I've read up on both gangs! I studied them both when I was preparing to face off against them last year! So I _also_ know a lot about the Champions and your fights with them!" Mari tersely explained. "And most of the time, what happened was that the Joker R gang and Golden Four did some crime, the Champions got reports on who was attacking and where and whatever else was going on, they'd send out the right team to deal with them, and then that team would have the chance to scope out the situation and make whatever strategy they needed to take them down!" Pausing to take a breath and let that sink in, she then went on to say, "But this isn't like that! You're going to be playing a _defensive_ game this time, while the bad guys will be scoping you out from a distance! They'll be waiting and watching and studying every move you make, analyzing your fancy new accessories and figuring out that they must be something to compensate for your weaknesses, and waiting for exactly the right moment to strike! And on top of all that, there's the Joker factor!"

"Joker factor?" Hikari blankly repeated. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that we're dealing with an amalgam of _Joker!_ And they're totally chaotic! You can't really predict what the next scheme will be, what new crazy plan they'll hatch! And Joker R is no exception to the rule!" Mari went on to explain. "His insane logic exists so far outside the box it barely qualifies as logic at all! The only thing certain is that he'll be doing something to suit his own sick sense of humor! And it'll probably end in a lot of people getting _killed!"_

"That's true. I can't argue against that," Misato intoned in a deceptively even voice. As the Super Soldier once again turned towards the Champions' Commander, Misato then asked, "Alright, Mari. Then tell me something; if you were in charge of selecting the team to go to this ceremony, who would _you_ pick?"

"Easy!" Mari replied, holding up one of her fists. "Wonder Girl, Airstrike, and Spider-Man K!" she declared, raising a finger for each name mentioned. "No real vulnerabilities on any of them except for Kensuke probably having a weakness to that spider-specific pesticide, Airstrike's a former bounty hunter and marksman, so she's ideal for spying out potential hiding spots and vantage points either gang might use, and Kensuke's spider-sense makes for a perfect early-warning device to let them know when the gangs are about to make their move! Plus his armor would probably help compensate for not having the kind of super senses and X-ray vision a Kryptonian has!"

Several seconds passed as Misato considered this, the room perfectly silent until she nodded. "Alright. I have to admit, that's a good lineup for this situation. And if pure tactics and strategy were my only concern in this case, it's one I might have used myself," she admitted, drawing looks of surprise from the others. "But I'm sticking with the team I've selected. And do you know why?" As Mari's mouth fell open in surprise, the Commander scowled forcefully. "Because as dismissive as you seem to be of 'schmoozing with the press', it's an unfortunate reality of being the leader of a team. In order for your team to be really effective, you can't make enemies of the public at large. You've _seen_ what happens when people like J. Jonah Jameson alts start turning the people at large against you, how hard it can be to do your job as a hero when everybody's looking at you like you're as bad as the villains you're supposed to be fighting. And _that's_ why it's essential that the Champions do whatever we can to rebuild our image in the eyes of the people of Chicago." Mari opened her mouth to try and protest, but before she could get a word out, Misato went on to say, "Now, is improving our image more important than the lives we're protecting? No, of course not. But I can't just turn a blind eye towards the press and the media at large, either. And so I did my best to select a team that could handle _both_ at the same time, and _that's_ the team I'm sticking with. I'm sorry you don't approve, but let me remind you that, not only will they be far from alone, but if something goes terribly wrong, they'll be able to call for backup at any time."

Mari opened her mouth to protest once more, but this time, she closed it of her own accord, and simply ground her teeth in clear frustration. There wasn't so much as a doubt in her mind that this particular team would end in disaster. She couldn't really explain why or give voice to her feelings, but something knotting about in her gut told her this was a terrible idea. And that it was doomed to end in disaster.

"Listen, Mari...while tensions between the Champions and Avengers Infinity might be pretty high at the moment, our respective teams have maintained more-or-less good relationships since both were established. With the exception of a few problems, like the occasional Stark who happens to be a bigger asshole than most," Misato continued with a stern look on her face. "And if I were to contact the Infinite Avengers Tower and request that your team be suspended from all duties and confined to the Mansion until after the Fourth and that a second team was sent to make sure that you abide by that, I have little doubt that they would agree to do so, especially since your team isn't even ready for action." As Mari's eyes widened at such a prospect, her frustration mounting, the Commander went on to say, "But I'd rather not. I'd rather have you cooperating with me on this instead of forcing me to ram something down your throat. So I'm going to ask you one more time; _please_ order your team to stand down. And let _us_ take care of this situation."

Mari dearly wanted to tell Misato to fuck off. She was certain that she was right about this, that the Champions were inviting certain disaster. They weren't deploying a large enough of a force, and the members they were sending simply had too much in the way of exploitable weaknesses. And if it had just been her that would have been affected, she would likely have done just that.

But while she had only managed to get passing grades back in the diplomacy classes back at Avengers Academy, Mari had picked up at least one or two things. And she knew enough that, from Misato's position, her arguments made perfect sense. Just as she knew that the purple-haired woman wasn't enjoying any of this, and was trying to be as fair as she could under the circumstances. And most importantly of all, she knew that unleashing the true horrifying power of her potty mouth would do little more than guarantee that Misato would make that call she had just warned her about.

Mari had to do something that she really and truly hated having to do.

She had to reign in her mouth, and at least _try_ to be diplomatic about this.

"I won't have my team stand down...but I _will_ put them on emergency standby," Mari finally said. "If the Champions can handle this on their own, fine and dandy. They can have their fifteen minutes of fame and glory and whatever. But if this goes south on you - and I mean _really_ south - then the Avengers _will_ assemble."

This attitude seemed reasonable enough to Mari. About as fair a compromise as could be under the circumstances. But the way Misato slowly shook her head made it clear that she didn't feel this way. "I'm sorry, Mari, but that's not good enough. Ms. Stingray has made it _very_ clear that she doesn't want _any_ Avengers, except for you and maybe a guest or two, to be anywhere _near_ this ceremony. And I really do believe that, given your team's situation, it's in _everybody's_ best interest that they stand down."

"Exactly! Your entire team is a bunch of amateurs! Most of them have only been here on the Line for less than a _year!_ And _you...!"_ Nadia irritably declared with a scowl. "I swear, if you think we're so weak, why don't you try us on for size?! I'd _love_ a chance to show you what the Champions are _really_ made of!"

Turning towards the Atlantean, Mari found herself confronted with an easy target for her frustration. "Fine by me! Pick the time and place, and I'd be more than happy to turn you into the Catch of the Day!"

As the two girls stood there, sparks leaping the gap between their eyes, Shinji again positioned himself between them. "Alright, you two, that's enough! You don't need to fight it out!"

As both the Atlantean and the Super Soldier turned towards Shinji, Misato's voice sounded. "Actually, Shinji," she began in a thoughtful manner, one that prompted everyone to turn and see a slight smile on her face and a metaphorical light bulb hovering over her head, "I think maybe they _should..."_

"Huh?!" Shinji started even as the others looked towards Misato in clear surprise.

"Mari seems pretty convinced that we can't take care of this ourselves. So why don't we prove to her that we _can?"_ Misato suggested with greater confidence. Placing her hands on her hips, the Champions Commander looked squarely at the Super Soldier with a twinkle in her eyes. "You think my team can't handle this? Then why don't you put them to the test? All three of them against the one of you _with_ the new gear Kensuke's whipped up for them! No holds barred, no restrictions! And if they win, then you'll agree to have your team stand down and let the Champions handle everything, no questions asked!"

As this idea exploded in Mari's mind, she looked at the Kryptonian, Martian, and Atlantean Misato was proposing that she go up against, and found that Nadia was grinning wickedly. "I like the sound of that!" the dark-skinned Atlantean decreed, clenching her fist in anticipation of battle. "So what do you say, Captain Arrogant?! Ready to put your money where your mouth is?"

As the heady rush of adrenaline and battle lit through Mari's veins, she matched Nadia's grin with an especially feral grin of her own. "Are you kidding me?! This sounds like the kind of fun I like to jump all over!" she declared, driving her fist into her free hand with undisguised eagerness. "The only question I have is...when and where?!"

"I'm sure we can find a training room that isn't being used right now," Misato declared with a quiet, certain smile. A smile that told Mari that she was quite certain that the Super Soldier was going to go down, and go down _hard._

 _'He who exercises no forethought but makes light of his opponents is sure to be captured by them,'_ Mari thought, recalling her Uncle Steve quoting 'The Art of War'. _Which is a fancy way of saying that Underestimating Badassery will come back to bite you! Something I'm about to teach you all the_ hard _way!_

* * *

"Now remember, you three; Mari's a good girl, but she's also stubborn as hell," Misato cautioned her team of three even as they proceeded towards the training room they intended to use for this little bout. "There's not a chance she'll even think of surrendering, so I'm afraid you're going to have to knock her out."

"Fine by me!" Nadia declared with an eager grin. "I'm looking forward to shutting that oversized yap of hers! So you can count on me to _not_ be gentle!"

"Alright, but don't get cocky, either," Misato cautioned them. "I've been keeping track of Mari's activities since she joined the Avengers, and she _has_ seen a lot of action. An alternate of General Zod made the mistake of underestimating her, and he got his hand crushed and his face smashed for it."

 _"Huh?!"_ Hikari started even as the others looked back in surprise. "You mean she's fought Kryptonians?! And _won?!"_

"How'd she do that, Misato?" Shinji wondered, clearly ill at ease with this. Not that Misato was surprised by this; for while he was a dedicated hero, he was still as uncomfortable with violence as most alts of him that the Commander had encountered.

"Her battlesuit can generate an energy field composed of red sun radiation, so it can neutralize a Kryptonian's powers. And it's been upgraded in other ways as well. So be sure to watch your equipment!" Misato tersely advised, studying the harness Shinji now wore, as well as the nanotech collar about Nadia's neck. "If she disables it, she might be able to take advantage of all those 'Kryptonite Factors' she mentioned before."

"So how do we handle this?" Hikari wondered, clearly about as unenthusiastic about this as Shinji was.

"My advice? Put her down hard and fast. Don't give her a chance to come up with something sneaky or use any magic on you," Misato advised them. Then she looked at Nadia and added, "And whatever you do, _don't_ underestimate her! I've seen what happens when people do that, and trust me, it's _not_ pretty!"

A few moments passed before Shinji glanced back behind them and frowned. "Maybe you should tell _her_ not to underestimate _us._ I mean...just _listen_ to her!"

Pausing in her advice, Misato and the others glanced back even as the continued forward, looking towards where Mari and Kensuke were following a polite distance behind. "Stop worrying, Ken!" the Super Soldier grinned in the devil-may-care manner so many variants of Mari Illustrious Makinami were known for. "I'm telling you, this is gonna be a grand slam!"

"I know! But I think that _you're_ the one who's gonna be slammed!" Kensuke replied in a wary fashion. "Mari, you just picked a fight with three of the most powerful metahuman types in all of Coreline! Even a rampaging _Hulk_ would think twice about that! What were you _thinking?!"_

"I was thinking that this has been a really shitty day so far and that this was the perfect way to perk it up!" Mari declared with great enthusiasm. "Plus, I'm _really_ looking forward to shoving my fist down that arrogant twit Nadia's throat!"

Making a face at this, Kensuke wondered, "Mari...do you _really_ think you even have a chance of winning?"

"Trust me, Ken! This will take about...hmm...a minute. A minute and a half, tops," Mari assured him, folding her arms behind her head. "And after I'm done laying them all out on the floor, I'm gonna go back home, and watch wrestling on TV." A beat passed before she looked at him and asked, "You watch wrestling?"

"Uh...no," Kensuke admitted. "Never really got into it."

"Well, _I_ do! You pick up a lot of great moves that way! And plus, there's a recent arrival in Coreline that's been making a name for himself on the Metahuman Fighting Circuit!" Mari went on with great enthusiasm. "An alternate of Hulk Hogan who's an actual _Hulk!"_

"You're kidding!" Kensuke gaped in surprise.

"I know! I'm surprised that combo hasn't shown up before!" Mari admitted. "Anyway, this guy's a _beast!_ One of the bigger gamma mutants; twelve-feet-tall, muscles _everywhere..._ and a full head of hair!" Issuing a chuckle at this, she then added, "Plus, he fights bad guys on the side between bouts! Now _there's_ a sweet deal! If I wasn't an Avenger...!"

"I don't _believe_ that bitch!" Nadia snarled under her breath, her eyes narrowed furiously. "She's acting like she's already won! I'm gonna -!"

"Settle down, Nadia. She's just trying to bait you." Misato informed her, wondering if the oxygen imbalance in her blood was once more disrupting her moods or Mari was making her just that mad. "It's an old trick of hers; she's running off at the mouth like a Spider, trying to anger you. So when you actually start fighting her, you'll be sloppy. Make mistakes that she can exploit."

"Well, aren't we the big tattletale!" Mari piped up from behind, causing Nadia to growl deep in her throat and the others to jump somewhat. "By the way, my ears might not be as good as Kryptonians, but...yeah. They still work." Frowning at the way Nadia was glaring her frustration at the Super Soldier, Misato listened as Mari asked, "So, how much farther until we get to the training room?"

"We're almost there," Misato replied, pointing on ahead. "It's just around that corner."

"Good to know!" Mari replied, driving her fist into her free hand with undisguised eagerness.

Noting that this was definitely something else this Mari had in common with other versions of her, Misato sighed and continued to lead the two groups towards the training room, which was marked by two large, heavily armored sliding doors. "Now, remember, you three," the Commander spoke even as she pressed the buttons that would cause the doors to slide open, "you can handle this. Just fight smart, and this will be over in no time."

"You bet it will!" Mari grinned even as she approached. "Oh, and Ken? Could you do me a favor?" When the Spider-Man amalgam looked up in surprise, the Super Soldier added, "I know I can't expect you to root against your own team, but could you time this match? Starting from when we go in and when I come out?"

The death glare Nadia sent Mari's way made it clear what she thought about the shield wielder's choice of words, and it was clear that even Shinji and Hikari were getting unduly annoyed. "Before you get started, I need to set down a few ground rules," the Commander announced. "This match is over when all the members of one side have either surrendered, have been knocked out, or otherwise disabled. No lethal force or crippling moves, but beyond that, anything goes. Understood?"

"Yes, sir!" Shinji, Hikari, and Nadia replied, with even Mari smiling and snapping off a salute to this.

"Then get in there and do us proud!" Misato ordered, hoping that this would settle things, or at least knock Mari down enough pegs that she became more amicable to reason and logic.

"Yes, let's get this on!" Mari grinned as she entered, with the three Champions not far behind her. As soon as they were all inside, Misato closed the doors and contented herself to wait.

* * *

 _Let's see...looks like the harness is working the way it should,_ Shinji thought as he studied the mechanism Kensuke and Yui had developed to protect him and feed his body a continuous supply of yellow sun radiation, constantly maintaining his powers. _Hikari-chan, are you ready?_

 _Yes, Shinji-kun,_ came Hikari's telepathic voice in Shinji's mind. _Nadia?_

 _Ready! Now let's get started!_ Nadia declared with undisguised eagerness. _I can't wait to wipe that smug grin off that girl's face!_

At these words, Shinji was prompted to look up at Captain America, who had already taken a battle-ready stance on the other side of the expansive training room where the Champions honed their fighting skills. Sure enough, she was still grinning in eager anticipation of the fisticuffs to come, with even the mighty shield she wore on her left arm seeming to glint merrily at the thought of what was to come.

 _I'll never understand that kind of attitude,_ Shinji couldn't help but think, sighing at the vast amount of misery caused by the many wars and battles that had been fought across the world, both in the Earth of his origin and the world that had come to be known as the Core Timeline. All the death and destruction and misery caused by the many conflicts and the many pitiful excuses humanity had made to justify the horror that was war. _What could possibly be fun about fighting, anyway?_

Wondering if he should ask Mari and then deciding that, even if she answered, such an answer probably wouldn't make much sense to him, anyway, Shinji instead focused on the situation at hand. _Alright, we're linked and ready. As long as we coordinate our efforts and keep her off-balance, we should be able to take her down._

 _No problem!_ Nadia eagerly declared. _It's not like she's any big deal like a gamma mutant or a Thor alternate or...well, one of you two! She's just a pain in the neck with some fancy tricks and an oversized Frisbee!_

 _You mean the same way Joker R is just some martial arts weirdo with bleached skin and way too much time on his hands?_ Hikari wondered in an unusually snarky manner.

 _Hikari's right. We're not taking any chances on this,_ Shinji seconded, fully in favor of wrapping this up as quickly as possible. _We'll catch her in a pincer maneuver. Nadia and I will split off to the sides and distract her. Hikari, you phase into the floor and come up from behind. We'll catch her between us, not give her any chance to move, and then we'll take her down. Okay?_

 _Sounds good!_ Nadia declared even as Hikari gave the mental equivalent to a nod.

"So, are we all good to go?" Mari wondered even as she stretched somewhat, limbering up for the fight to come.

Looking at the Captain America amalgam, Shinji could hear her heart beating with excitement, her pupils dilated and her nose flaring, her body language spelling out her eagerness. Once again wondering how anyone could actually enjoy fighting, he called out to her, "We're ready whenever you are. So...go on the count of three?"

"Works for me. But before we get going, there are two things I'd like to say to you all," Mari began, and even as she spoke, she steadied herself, her heartbeat calming, her expression becoming less wild. "Despite everything, I don't hold anything against the Champions. Not you, and not your Commander. However, I really think that sending you three in just to cater to the media and score points with the press is a terrible mistake. Especially when dealing with psychos like the Joker R gang and Golden Four. And despite the trash talk...I hope nobody holds a grudge after this."

"I understand why you're worried about the gangs. Though I _do_ think you're worrying for nothing." Then Shinji glanced over at Nadia, who was looking annoyed, and added, "As for the grudges...well, Hikari and I won't hold any. That's all I can say."

Giving a shrug to this, Mari replied, "Hey, that's fair. I know I have quite the talent for pissing people off!"

 _No kidding!_ Shinji thought, casting a glance at the irate Nadia. "So what's the other thing you have to say?"

"Just this; if any of you don't want to do this...there's the door," Mari replied as she cocked her head in the door's direction. Her heartbeat once again thundering with eagerness as she gestured towards the entrance. "No hard feelings."

Now Shinji was really getting annoyed, and it was clear that Hikari was losing her patience with the Super Soldier's blatant arrogance. She was just so certain, so damnably confident, that she was going to win. That there wasn't even the slightest chance that the Champions could come out on top. "No, thank you," Shinji curtly retorted even as he took in the annoyed expressions of his teammates. "Everyone ready?"

"Definitely," Mari assured them. "And since we're on your home court, Superman Gamma...why don't you count down for us?"

"Uh, alright," Shinji nodded after a beat. Quickly checking his teammates, making sure that they were ready for action, he took a battle-ready stance of his own. "One...two... _three!"_

An instant later, Shinji launched himself into the air, firing off a quick blast of heat ray vision that Mari quickly blocked with her shield before leaping back a pace. At the same time, Hikari became intangible and sank into the floor while Nadia launched into the air as well, already making a beeline for the Captain. "Let's wrap this one up quick!" Mari grinned wickedly as she jumped up into the air, holding up her shield to them. "Stars of freedom shine...!"

 _Don't let her finish!_ Shinji cried out across their telepathic link, realizing what their foe was up to; exploiting a weakness of his that his harness did _not_ protect against. _Don't let her complete the spell!_

 _Not a problem!_ Nadia declared as she charged in at Mari. _Somebody should tell her to get some shorter magic words!_

"Their powers unite...!" Mari continued even as Hikari flew up from the floor and came up behind her. Already reaching forth to ensnare the Super Soldier. "And fill the archer's bow with -!"

The next instant, Shinji's eyes were filled with white.

And everything went right to hell.

* * *

"Do you really think this is such a good idea, Misato-sama?" Spider-Man K wondered nervously as he and Misato leaned back against the wall, waiting for the combatants in the training room. "I mean...Mari was talking pretty big, but you have to know that she doesn't stand a chance!"

"I know. And that's the idea," Misato nodded, giving Kensuke a sad little smile. "Mari might be acting really relaxed with us, but the truth is, she and the Champions have some unpleasant history." When the Spider-Man amalgam frowned his confusion, she sighed sadly. "Before she hooked up with the Avengers, Mari tried joining the Champions along with her friend Maria, aka Thunderstrike."

"Really?" Kensuke gaped, clearly surprised by this. "So...what happened?"

"They were turned down. Or rather, _Mari_ was turned down," Misato explained, feeling a tinge of guilt at this, unreasonable as it was, given that it hadn't even been their branch of the Champions the two girls had gone for. "You see, the recruiter, he had only been interested in Maria and her Asgardian powers. He felt that Mari wasn't good enough to justify putting a...well, a _Mari_ on the team. But Maria, she's a loyal friend to Mari, so she turned down the job, even though both of them were in bad shape financially."

"Wow," Kensuke got out, his eyes wide. "That sucks."

"I know. Which is why I'm worried she might be carrying some emotional baggage here, even if she doesn't realize it," Misato went on. "The Champions already snubbed her, just because of who she was an alternate of, and now, she might see what we're doing as just snubbing her again. And what's worse, she's made it as an Avenger. Graduated from the Academy, has her own team, and yet the Champions still want her to stand down and stay out of the way, even though she's going to be right there in the middle of what's happening."

Making a face at this, Kensuke hesitated for a few moments before saying, "I can understand that."

"On top of that, Mari has some pretty headstrong personalities on her team," Misato went on. "She's only started the process of earning their trust and respect, which is something that having to stand down for the Champions isn't going to make any easier. And it honestly might hurt her efforts to do so."

"I'll bet." Several seconds passed before Kensuke went on to ask, "Misato-sama, are you _sure_ that we have to have Mari's team stand down? I mean, we could always use more help out there!"

"I agree, but not this time. Not now," Misato declared. She then went on to explain just how far from completion the Avengers Mansion where Mari and her team were stationed was. "I realize that it can't be easy to back down, but mobilizing the Avengers now would mean revealing their Mansion and just how vulnerable it is to every criminal in Chicago, which would be a disaster for them. And if Mari's having such a hard time getting her team to listen to her and follow orders, imagine what would happen if she tried to lead them into a battle? Infighting, arguing...it'd be a _disaster_ for them."

"I guess you're right about that," Kensuke admitted with considerable reluctance.

"Also...and at the risk of an insult...I'm starting to think that Mari's getting a little too big for her britches," Misato added with a shade of reluctance. When Kensuke gave the Commander a look of surprise, she quickly explained, "Now don't me wrong, she's _definitely_ good. The Avengers wouldn't have put her in charge of that team if she wasn't. And it's also true that she's taken down some impressive enemies, including an alternate of Zod. But at the same time...I'm starting to think she's gotten a bit too convinced of her own capabilities. Like she can beat _anyone,_ or that the world can't get by without her. Something like that."

"Hmm...well, she _did_ seem kinda cocky on the way here..." Kensuke slowly admitted.

"Pretty damn arrogant is how I would have put it, but you get the idea," Misato replied. "Now I realize that Mari had some very good points about the vulnerabilities of the team I selected, and I certainly am not denying that Joker R gang and the Golden Four are dangerous. But they lost a _lot_ in the way of resources last year. Furthermore, all our available information says that the two gangs have had a falling out since then, so I doubt they'll be able to mount the kind of offensive that Mari's so concerned about. Heck, they might not even be able to do anything at all." As Kensuke gave a slight nod to this, the Commander went on to say, "Unfortunately, Mari's gotten pretty used to having to do things her own way or on her own, especially with what happened last year. And while she _has_ gotten better at working and playing with others, that's mainly when it suits her and only then."

"I think I get what you're saying," Kensuke replied with a slight frown. "So...we're showing her that...what? That she's not as good as she thinks she is?"

"More like the Champions are more capable than she seems to be giving us credit for," Misato corrected Kensuke. "And if she gets taken down a peg or two...well, maybe that's a good thing, given the attitude she was putting on display before. And if it gets her to cooperate and have her team stand down, then -" A sharp beep pricked the Commander's ears, prompting her to look about see the warning lights above the door shifting. Where they had been red before, signaling that the training room was in use and there was life combat going on, now it was green, signaling safe entry conditions. "Well, looks like the little sparring session is over. Took a bit longer than I expected."

Hoping that her team hadn't been too brutal in expressing their ire for this Captain America's mouth, Misato watched as the doors slid open. "Congratulations, you -!" the Commander began with a smile...only for her jaw to go crashing to the floor in shock.

"Thanks, Commander," Mari replied with a _biiiig_ smile as she shifted her neck this way and that, intertwining her fingers and cracking her knuckles with her palms out. "That was fun. I needed that."

A cry of strangled disbelief tore free of Misato's mouth as she stared at the Super Soldier before her. Mari's battlesuit had been torn and damaged, the outer skin ripped apart and revealing some of the vibranium mesh that lay beneath, but other than that, she looked hale and hearty and not at all like she had gone toe-to-toe with three of the most powerful Champions under Misato's command. Her mind emptied by the impossible standing before her, the Commander sputtered like an angry teapot as Mari turned to face her. "Now before I go, a few things. One; I stand by my recommendation that you switch out the team you're sending to the ceremony. Whatever crew you send in is going to need less schmoozing with the press, and a _lot_ less in the way of Kryptonite Factors. Second; those three were _pathetic!"_ Rolling her eyes as she jerked her thumb back into the training room, she then shook her head and straightened her arm before angling her thumb down towards the floor. "They started out alright, but once they fell apart, they fell _all the way_ apart! Heck, only one of them was able to recover, and even she didn't last very long! Seriously, if those three were on my team, I'd put them in a three-month boot camp program after that sparring session! Third, once we get the Mansion operational, I'd be more than happy to work up some training and exercise regimes for everybody here, because if those three were any indicator, then your team _needs_ it!"

"I - ugh - agghh?!" Misato sputtered and fizzled, her eyes rounding in their sockets as she stared at Mari in patent disbelief.

"Fourth, I need you to do me a favor," Mari went on, completely carefree and not looking the slightest bit like someone who had just been fighting off a trio of some of the most powerful metahuman types around. "When those three regain consciousness, please remind them that there was nothing personal about all that, and if I managed to break anything, I'm really very sorry." Then her eyes popped open as if in realization, and she leaned past Misato to look at Kensuke. "Oh, and on that note...Ken? It was nice meeting you, but...I kinda broke some of your toys. So...sorry about that."

"Erk...auggh...?!" Misato tried again, her brain still not functional just yet.

"Well, it's been fun, but I really have to get back home now," Mari declared in that same nonchalant manner. "I've got a Mansion to work on, a team to get ready for the Fourth, and I wasn't joking about wanting to catch that wrestling match later." She started to proceed forward, only to pause and look back at Misato, "Oh, and Commander? I _promise_ that I'll keep the team on emergency standby. If the Champions can handle things on their own, great! But if people start dying, then it's Avengers Assemble, and _fuck_ Stingray Industries' image!" As Kensuke winced at the venom dripping from that last part, Mari recovered her smile and waved playfully at them both. "Seeya around!"

With that, Mari started down the hall, walking jauntily as she sang, "It's time to face the day! Time to make it snap-py! But, you know, first, you gotta make it outta bed..."

The two Champions slowly pivoted about to watch as Mari disappeared from sight, and then slowly turned to face each other. With both their eyes going wide as they looked back towards the still-open door to the training room. Then they looked back at each other, and as if the sight of each was a trigger, they gasped as one, "Ohhhh, _shit!"_

Without a moment's hesitation, both Misato and Kensuke darted into the training room. Only to freeze the instant they were inside, once again staggered.

The training room had been completely ripped apart as if by a combination of a tornado and an earthquake. Even as the self-repair systems struggled to put everything together, it was clear that whatever battle had completely shattered the interior. And that was to say nothing of the three Champions that presently remained inside.

"Omigod...!" Misato gasped as she took in the three of them. Hikari lay against the far wall, a look of shock and agony frozen upon her face. Frozen just as the rest of her was frozen, trapped inside a massive chunk of ice that had formed against the wall. Nadia had collapsed and now lay on her back, the wall behind her cratered as if by an enormous impact, and was badly battered and bloodied. And as for Shinji, he lay on the floor, clearly battered and was presently nude save for a set of boxer shorts, with some kind of disk pressed against his back. And as for the harness he had been wearing...

 _"Noooo!"_ Kensuke cried out in absolute anguish as he happened upon the tattered remains of the device he had helped create. "My harness...!"

Moving to his position, Misato took in the ruined device and then growled deep in her throat. "Bakusai Tenketsu...!" she grumbled even as she reached into her flight jacket, pulled out her ID Card, and opened an emergency channel. "This is Commander Saotome to the med teams! We've had an incident in one of the training rooms! Superman Gamma, Manhunter Hikari, and Submariner Nadia are all down! Key in on my location and get here _ASAP!"_ Waiting just long to get confirmation that help was on the way, Misato then brutally shoved her card back into her jacket and looked at Kensuke. "Take care of Hikari! I'll check on Nadia and Gamma!"

"Right!" Kensuke replied even as both of them went to work. "But - Misato-sama - how'd Mari _do_ this?! I mean - are you sure it's Mari _Illustrious_ Makinami, and not Mari _Sue?!_ Or that she's a Captain America and not a _Squirrel Girl_ in disguise?!"

"Positive on both counts!" Misato reported even as she checked Nadia for a pulse. Her skin felt dry to the touch, but not severely so. And while her pulse was weak, it was still steady. "And even a Squirrel Girl variant can't do something like this with someone watching! The training room is rigged with cameras!" Satisfied that Nadia was in no immediate dangerous, she went to the less injured but still insensate Shinji. "And as soon as we get these three to the medical center, you're going to get me that footage so I can see _what the hell just happened!"_

* * *

"How could you people let this happen?! How many times do I have to tell you _not_ to let these kids go so completely crazy in these damned training sessions! There's a limit to how much I can patch them back up after they tear themselves apart!" roared one of the chief medics on hand at Stronghold. "I'm a _doctor,_ not a miracle worker!"

"I realize that, Dr. McCoy," Misato replied, what precious little remained of her patience about to give out completely. As she struggled with the temptation to simply hulk out and rip everything in sight to shreds, she instead focused on the three Champions that were currently resting in medical beds nearby. "Look...are they're going to be alright?"

Scowling at Misato, the old country doctor glanced over at the Champions before muttering, "They'll be fine in a day or so...though that won't last if they keep trying to kill each other right in front of our faces!"

"So what exactly happened?!" Misato demanded with failing patience. "I know Hikari was frozen, but the others -!"

"She wasn't just frozen, Commander!" Dr. McCoy broke in with his typical impatience. "She was hit by some kind of cryogenic weapon! Froze her right down to the cellular level and put her in cryostasis! And right before she was frozen, she took one hell of a blow to the face, and from the looks of things, it sent her flying hard into a wall!"

A beat passed as Misato considered this before asking, "Will she be alright?"

"More or less. Though I'm still trying to make sense of some of the quirks of her human/Martian physiology, I'm guessing she should recover soon enough." Then McCoy glanced back at another of his patients and grumbled. "Same with the Kryptonian. A few hours in that yellow sunlight tanning booth, and he won't even have a damned bruise. Lucky punk..."

While McCoy was grumbled about how much he wished all his patients could be healed as easily as that, Misato asked, "But what exactly happened?! How'd he get hurt in the first place?!"

"Something sucked all the yellow sun energy out of his system and replaced it with _red_ sun energy! Left him as much of an ordinary human as we used to be!" McCoy declared with clear annoyance. "Then while his powers were drained, he was subjected to hundreds of blows! All precisely targeted to hit each and every nerve cluster, pressure point, and every other vulnerable spot in the back of that Kryptonian body of his! Completely shut him down, _and_ on top of that, he was also shot up with a dose of dendrotoxin! Which normally wouldn't do anything to him, but with his powers gone..."

"But he _will_ make a full recovery, won't he?" Misato implored the irate doctor. "No brain damage, nothing like that?"

"Yep, which is more than he deserves," McCoy crossly grumbled. "But that Atlantean, Nadia?! She took a worse beating than either of the others put together!" Pausing to glance at the Atlantean, who was presently immersed in a bed of pure ocean water to aid in her recovery. "Partially dehydrated, oxygen imbalance acting up again, severe burning and more to the interior of her mouth and throat, and severe blunt force impact trauma that would have killed an ordinary person several times over! Though what qualifies as 'ordinary' in this crazy patchwork quilt of a world is beyond me! And _that's_ just the _worst_ of it!"

"But she'll be alright, won't she?" Misato pressed once again.

"Absolutely! Though that would happen a lot faster if she actually _listens_ to her doctor's orders! Which we both know she _won't!"_ Dr. McCoy continued to complain. "And I just bet you're going to have her out on assignment before she's fully recovered while you're at it, too! That's how it _always_ works around here...!"

As Misato looked from the Doctor, who was already marching about and complaining about something else, towards the three Champions that had been so readily taken down, she heaved a deep breath before glancing back at McCoy. "Keep me apprised of their condition, Doctor! As soon as they're awake, I want to hear about it!" Just barely listening as the Doctor gave a grumpy confirmation to this, Misato gave one final look at her downed teammates, friends, and surrogate children before turning about, angry and frustrated and wanting some answers. Wanting to blame Mari for what happened...but knowing that she was at least as much to blame for this.

 _And here I thought pitting Mari against the three of them would be the perfect way to show her the Champions could handle this! That we didn't need her or her team's help!_ Misato fumed sourly, unable to believe what was happening. _Not only is she going back to the Mansion more convinced than ever that we can't handle this ourselves, but the three members of the team I was planning on sending out for this thing are laid up for I don't know how long!_

Misato wasn't worried about Shinji. As long as he had a steady supply of yellow sun radiation, his Kryptonian physiology would allow him to recover from virtually everything. Hikari was a bit trickier since the Commander honestly didn't know how cold would affect her hybrid physiology. However, Dr. McCoy had made it sound like the freezing would have no lasting consequences. But Nadia was a different matter; not only had she taken more punishment, but she lacked the ability to recover from injury as quickly as the others.

 _If I have to scrub her from this mission because of what Mari did, Sylia's gonna chew my ass off!_ Misato thought, only to wince at the realization that she was focusing on the mission when she had three injured children under her command lying in the medical ward. _But then, it's not like it would be the first time!_ she added bitterly. _Even back where you came from, it was your job to send kids like them to fight and possibly die..._

Despite the fact that the members of the Champions joined and fought and risked their lives of their own free will, the knowledge that she was one of the ones who sent them into danger was a burden that Misato had never learned to truly live with. And seeing three of her friends and children under her leadership, no matter how much they wore the mantle of adults, battered and beaten by her orders over what boiled down to a stupid argument, had her insides twisting about like snakes snapping at each other.

Misato wanted a drink. She also wanted to know what the hell had just happened. Deciding that she wanted the latter much more, she exited the medical bay and entered the waiting area, where Kensuke sat in one of the chairs, working a holographic keyboard being projected by his armor. Looking up at the sound of her approaching footsteps, he stood and called out, "Misato-sama! Are they -?!"

"Dr. McCoy says they'll be fine, though it might take a day or two for them to fully recover," Misato grumbled sourly. "So, Ken, have you gotten the video from that training room? Figure out how one Super Soldier was able to completely trounce three of our best?"

"Yeah! And _man,_ you are not going to believe what happened!" Kensuke assured her, shaking his head in disbelief even as he returned his attention to the holographic displays. "Here! Let me bring it up!" Nimbly working the holographic keyboard, the web-slinger brought up a set of four windows showing the interior of the training room, with Mari about to square off against the Champions. "As you know, each training room is equipped with four cameras! Now it took some time, but -!"

"Just play the damned thing and show me what the hell happened!" Misato grumpily ordered.

"Sure thing!" Kensuke replied, pressing a few holographic buttons, and sent the videos into motion. "Now, I've skipped the pre-fight trash talk, and started at the actual fight!"

"One...two... _three!"_ declared the Shinji being displayed, and an instant later, he and Nadia launched into the air, with the Kryptonian firing a blast of heat vision at Mari, which she deflected with her shield even as Hikari disappeared into the floor.

"Let's wrap this one up quick!" Mari grinned as she leaped into the sky. "Stars of freedom shine...!"

 _She's trying to use_ that _spell?!_ Misato wondered, surprised by such an apparently faulty tactic. For while she knew the Super Soldier's Arrows of Might was a devastating magical attack, the incantation used to initiate it was time-consuming and would leave her vulnerable. _But then why would she -?!_

Then Misato watched as Hikari appeared from the floor, taking up station behind Mari even as she continued to chant, with Shinji and Nadia flying in at her at high-speed. _Oh, no! She's_ baiting _them into attacking!_ she realized even as Hikari wrapped her arms about the Super Soldier with Nadia closing in to punch her right in the face. _It's a -!_

Then a massive flash of light momentarily blinded all three cameras, preventing Misato from seeing precisely what happened next. And when the flash was gone...so was Mari.

 _\- trap!_ Misato concluded lamely as she realized what was about to happen. In the span of the flash, not only had Mari completely disappeared, but Hikari was now positioned exactly where Mari had been. Leaving her with less than a second to realize that Nadia was now flying at her at full speed and fist-first. No time to phase, no time to dodge. No time for either of them to do anything to prevent Hikari from being punched right in the face.

 _"Aauughh!"_ Hikari cried out in pain as she sent flying away by Nadia's punch, sending her crashing against the nearest wall.

 _"Hikari?!"_ Shinji cried out in anguish even as Nadia recoiled in shock from what she had done.

 _Aw, shit! A substitution?!_ Misato groaned inwardly, smacking herself in the face. _I almost forgot she'd spent all that time in the Nerima Ward, picking up tricks from a Ryoga Hibiki alt and a good version of Happosai!_ Pausing to wonder what other tricks she had up her sleeves, the Commander returned her focus to the video playing before her, at the recording of the two Champions that were now completely focused on their downed teammate and not on the matter of where their opponent had disappeared to.

 _And that's when this sort of thing goes right to hell!_ Misato groaned inwardly.

Then something inexplicable happened. As Hikari struggled to recover and Shinji and Nadia flew to her side, all three of them cried out in pain and brought their hands to their ears. "What?!" Misato started, watching perplexedly as all three of them writhed in agony, with the Kryptonian most affected of all. "Kensuke, what's going on?!"

"Sonic disruptor grenade," Kensuke reported, pausing the video to gesture at one of the windows. Working the controls, he enhanced the image, just enough to show a small spheroid device. "It releases high-intensity sonics at various frequencies, both in the audible _and_ inaudible ranges. Unless you're somehow insulated from it, not only will it deafen you, but it will completely screw up your inner ear. You wouldn't be able to tell up from down or keep your balance or anything like that!"

"And I'm guessing Mari's vibranium-mesh battlesuit is more than up to the task of insulating her," Misato grumbled sourly. "But how come we can't hear anything?"

"I had to filter the grenade's noise out," Kensuke explained with a sheepish look. "Trust me, if you had to listen to that, you'd be going out of your mind."

Nodding to this, Misato sighed. "Alright, keep going," she ordered, and an instant later, the disaster before her continued.

Even as all three Champions in the video struggled with the sheer agony, a beam of freezing cold lanced out at Hikari, freezing her into the exact position Misato and Kensuke had found her in. This was followed by another beam of ice cold that struck Nadia hard, caking over most of her body and her ankle wings. _Dammit...I knew Mari had had her battlesuit and weapons upgraded after she joined the Avengers, but I didn't know about that!_ she thought sourly. _Looks like Nadia wasn't hit as badly as Hikari, though! She's still moving, but she might need a minute to break free of that ice!_ But then she frowned and scanned the chaos before her. _But where's Mari at?! I know she must be using her suit's cloaking systems, but where -?!_

An instant later, Misato received her answer. For even as Shinji continued to writhe and tumble wildly about in mid-air, Mari suddenly appeared right behind him. Even as she made her move, a sphere of crimson radiated out from her battlesuit, surrounding both her and Shinji. _Oh, no...!_ the Commander groaned even as Mari drew back her free hand. _Here it comes...!_

An instant later, Mari thrust her forefinger into the breaking point for the harness, shattering it enough so that it went flying away, depriving Shinji of its protection. "My poor harness...!" Kensuke groaned once more as the Kryptonian's powers rapidly began to fail, causing him to start falling. Whether or not he was aware of his peril or he was still too deafened by the sonic disruptor to notice anything else was amiss, Misato couldn't be sure. All she could do was watch as Mari launched into a massive barrage of strikes, her arms becoming like a blur of hundreds of snakes, striking and snapping at Shinji's body and costume alike.

 _Was that the Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken?_ Misato frowned as Mari's attack did its dirty work. _I've never seen the Chestnut Fist used like_ that _before!_ Making a point to show this video to her husband and ask about that, she then watched as Mari drew forth one of her blasters, and from the small barrel just beneath the main one, launched a small projectile that struck Shinji's bare body, causing the veins around the point of impact to turn blue. Clearly, a dendrotoxin round that immediately ended his struggles.

"Dammit...two of them down in less than a minute?!" Misato growled, caught between rage at her children being hurt, and shame at them being taken down so effortlessly. Then she watched Mari applying one of her disk weapons to his back. "What's the deal with that thing she's using there?"

"It's a photonic force generator. Smaller than the ones I'm guessing she uses in her suit, but still effective," Kensuke reported, pausing the video just long enough to give an answer. "When I took a look at it, I saw that it was projecting a field of -"

"Of red sun radiation, to make sure Shinji didn't recover. Dammit," Misato groused, still unable to believe just easily her team was being skunked. "What about Nadia?"

"Just watch," Kensuke replied as he set the video in motion again. As Misato looked on, she noticed that in the time Mari had been occupied with Shinji, the Atlantean had been breaking free of the ice that had ensnared her. Unfortunately, in the process of doing so, she also ripped apart the sealed moisture sheath that kept her hydrated. "Oh, my poor nanotech...!"

But Misato didn't care about that. All she cared about was the fact that, while Mari was still occupied with Shinji, Nadia had located the source of the infernal noise that had thrown them all off. With a shriek of rage, she flew up to the sonic disruptor grenade and crushed it with a single punch. And although Misato couldn't hear any difference, thanks to Kensuke's filtering of the sound, it was clear from the relief on the Atlantean's face that the oppressive noise that had caused such misery was no more.

"Hmm?" Mari went, looking up from Shinji to see that Nadia was back in the game. "Heh. I was starting to wonder if you'd manage to get back in the game before I was done wrapping up the others," she stated with a wry look. "Oh, well. Now that I've evened up the odds, taking you down shouldn't be too much of a chore."

"You may have taken them down with tricks and distractions...!" Nadia growled, fury sparking in her eyes as she clenched her fists and prepared herself for battle, "but you won't take me down the same way!"

"Nope! I'll take you down with _this!"_ Mari replied, snatching up one of her blasters from its holster and firing a beam of crimson power at her final foe. Apparently unaware that her protection against heat had been destroyed, Nadia flew at her foe, dodging only carelessly. For while she was able to avoid the bulk of the blast, she was still grazed enough to elicit a cry of pain.

 _"Yeeargh!"_ Nadia cried out even as she immediately diverted and glanced down at her right thigh, which had taken the worst of the blast. "Heat?! But - aw, _shit!"_

"Exactly!" Mari grinned as she fired again. But Nadia, now alert to her peril, flew off to the far side of the training room, nimbly bobbing and weaving about the Super Soldier's blasts. Maintaining speed, she quickly sank her hands into a section of wall and quickly ripped it free. She was again grazed by a blast, but not as severely as before. "Oh, is someone getting shield-envy?"

"Don't you _ever_ shut up?!" Nadia snarled, already turning back and keeping the section of wall between herself and Mari, using it to quickly close the gap between them. The Super Soldier, apparently realizing that firing at her now would be a waste of time, quickly holstered her weapon and leaped to dodge the oncoming charge, leaving Nadia to crash into the floor.

But while still furious, Nadia was now focused, and quickly regained her footing. Not giving Mari a chance to draw a blaster again, she took the large metal plate and tossed it at the Super Soldier. "Gimme a break!" Mari snarked even as she threw herself out of its path. "You aim like - well, like I _used_ to, and -!"

"And nothing!" Nadia snarled, taking advantage of Mari's distraction to close within striking distance of her. "You try laughing off the ass-kicking I'm about to give you!" the Atlantean went on, firing off a deadly punch at her foe that the Super Soldier just barely dodged. "I'm gonna beat you down to the ground! And _then_ I'm gonna put it on the front page of the company newsletter!"

"Fine by me, _if_ you can actually pull it off!" Mari snarked even as she dodged another blow from Nadia. "Though to be honest, I doubt it. And I _definitely_ don't see you wanting what's actually happening to land on the front page of _anything!"_

And as Misato continued to watch, the truer Mari's words became. Nadia had launched into a flurry of kicks, punches, as well as other hand-to-hand attacks. And not only did they completely fail to connect, but Mari's ability to avoid and counter them rapidly improved to the point where she was no longer just dodging, but exploiting the openings in Nadia's offense to land a few blows herself.

"Whoa!" Kensuke breathed as Mari slipped under another punch and past a knee to land a blow on Nadia's abdomen. "She's _good!"_

"It's her copy ability! She's already analyzed Nadia's fighting style!" Misato moaned despondently. "Now Mari can predict her every move!"

"Did you just try to punch me?" Mari snarked with gusto as the battle became increasingly lopsided. "What're you aiming for, the sky? Ooh, I actually felt the breeze off of that one!"

"Shut up!" Nadia snarled wrathfully, her movements degenerating from her mounting rage. "Shut up, _shut up,_ _SHUT -!"_ The Atlantean was cut off when Mari took advantage of this situation to grab a gadget from her utility belt and spray a thick glob of gray goo into Nadia's mouth, stilling her momentarily.

"Explosive gel?!" Misato groaned despairingly, knowing precisely what was about to happen. "Aw, _geez!"_

"Repeat after me!" Mari grinned even as Nadia glanced down at the wad of explosive in her mouth, at a loss as to how to get out of this mess. "Mhmm-mhmm-mhmm _I'm dead!"_ Then she fired off a powerful kick into the Atlantean's chest that sent her crashing to the floor...just before the Super Soldier detonated the explosive gel.

Wincing at the detonation and the sight of the plume of smoke that was now belching forth from Nadia's mouth, as well as the cry of pain that she gave, Misato was sorely tempted to cover her eyes and not watch the rest of this Curb-Stomp Battle. But she forced herself to continue watching, looking on as Nadia forced herself back onto her hands and knees, coughing and choking on the smoke still radiating from her mouth with tufts of smoke coming from her nose and ears as well. All the while Mari stood nearby, shrugging helplessly and smiling her cat-like smile. "Hey, if you didn't want me to blow you up, you should've said something!" Issuing a few more sputters and coughs, Nadia turned towards Mari and fixed her with a glare that would have done a gamma mutant proud. "Here, tell you what; I've got a lot on my plate, and this is actually getting kinda boring, so...how about I give you a chance to surrender?" The Atlantean's eyes went wide at this and then narrowed with even greater fire. "I'm sure Misato will be perfectly understanding, and...well, I've got to get ready for the Fourth. So I really don't have the time to waste on you right now."

 _Uh-oh!_ Misato grimaced even as Nadia drew herself back up to her feet. _Mari, I_ knew _it was only a matter of time before that big mouth of yours got you into trouble!_

Standing tall despite everything she had just endured, Nadia heaved a deep breath, wiped her mouth with her fist, and closed her eyes. "That's too bad for you..." she growled deep in her throat...just before opening her eyes to revealing a crackling of electricity. "...because the Champions will _never surrender!"_

With that, Nadia roared, and in an instant, she was surrounded by a corona of lightning. Her entire body was lit up with electric blue as jags of electricity leaped from her to her surroundings, sparkling and sizzling everything they struck even as Mari raised her shield a bit.

"I still can't believe _this_ part!" Kensuke declared, pausing the video to look at Misato. "How'd Nadia _do_ that?!"

"She and a few of the others have been practicing under my husband, training themselves to use chi in battle," Misato tersely explained. "Nadia, being an Atlantean, can absorb electricity and even send it back at the source, so she and my husband focused on expanding upon that ability. So now she can use her chi to _generate_ an aura of electricity for a while. We call it her Lightning Mode." A beat passed before she added, "I know, kinda obvious, but it's pretty accurate!"

"It's _awesome_ is what it is!" Kensuke declared even as he started the video up again.

As Nadia hovered before Mari, the Super Soldier showed no fear, no surprise. "Hey, not bad, not bad at all!" she smiled in delight, bracing herself for renewed combat. "Now _that's_ the kind of stuff you have to strut in this -!"

Then Nadia disappeared. Leaving Mari's mouth to fall open in surprise. "- business?" she squeaked out, clearly taken aback by this ploy.

Which left her wide open for when Nadia reappeared, slamming into Mari at full speed from her right, trailing an electric corona in her wake.

Heartened by this showing, despite already knowing the outcome, Misato smiled. Nadia's Lightning Mode not only generated electricity, it also hyper-stimulated her, allowing her to move far faster and attack with much greater strength than she could ordinarily. Moving with almost impossible speed, the Atlantean fired off another powerful punch that sent Mari flying upwards. Then she shot up afterward, and what followed was an almost frenetic dance of electricity as Nadia delivered blow after punishing blow, ripping apart the outer layer of Mari's battlesuit and punishing the girl who wore it as they rose up even higher and higher. Just as the two were about to reach the ceiling of the training room, the Atlantean shot up over Mari, gathering a massive surge of electricity in her hand right before slamming down upon Mari once more, driving her back down to the ground and cutting through the lingering trails of lightning left behind by her earlier assault.

"Aw, _shit!"_ Mari cried out as Nadia drilled her into the floor. "That'd really hurt...if this wasn't so much _fun!"_

Snarling pure wrath, Nadia drew back her free hand and gathered a massive amount of electrified chi into it. "Fun time's _over!"_ she roared before thrusting the empowered hand straight into the point above Mari's heart. "Ever since you walked in here, you've been acting like we don't have what it takes! That we're just a bunch of publicity hounds, looking to score points with the press!"

As this potent attack ran its course, Misato saw confused realization spreading across Mari's face. "Huh?!" she started, clearly taken aback by Nadia's words. "Now, wait just a - _aaarrghh!"_

"What gives you the right to judge us?!" Nadia demanded, lost in her rage as she delivered another powerful blow. "You - you miserable sack of garbage! You arrogant whore! Acting like you're better than us just because you lucked yourself into playing a hero!"

Mari's mouth flew open once more, but in surprise, not to insult. "You -!" she started, only for anger to tinge her own expression. "Now don't you -!"

"I heard all about you, you know! About how you were turned down for membership by the Champions! And how it was supposedly because you were a Mari!" Nadia continued to rant even as she grabbed Mari by the neck and dragged her up into the air. "But I don't think that's it! You weren't turned down because you're Mari! You were rejected because of what you _are;_ a fake! A fraud! You've gone on and on about us not being good enough because of our weaknesses! But all you have _are_ weaknesses! You're just a big copycat! And all of your so-called skills, your tricks and abilities?!" she sneered, snatching Mari's shield from her arm. "In the end, all of them came from a damned _bottle!"_

With that, Nadia threw Mari back down to the floor below with all of her strength, the floor being cratered from the impact. "You think we can't handle those gangs?! The Joker R or Golden Four?!" she demanded even as she held the shield overhead, charging it up with massive amounts of electrical power. "We can handle _anything_ this city sends at us! _Anything!"_

Nadia punctuated this declaration by hurling the shield down at Mari. And it curved, it spiraled wildly, but ultimately it struck home or close enough to it that Misato couldn't tell the difference, for the floor of the training room exploded the instant it impacted. A massive storm of lightning and flying debris was released, swirling and twisting about, obscuring the Super Soldier from sight even as the Submariner flew up towards the ceiling and grabbed a massive section of machinery from it. Gritting her teeth in fury, she then tossed that down upon Mari as well, crushing anything that had been at the center of the storm.

As the aftermath of her attacks faded, Nadia landed, her Lightning Mode fading even as she sneered at the pile of rubble that marked where her foe had been. "And we can _certainly_ handle a motormouth bitch like _you,"_ she concluded with a smug smile. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to help the others...and call someone to take out the garbage!"

Nadia promptly turned about to leave...only to pause at something. And it took Misato a moment to realize what.

The ground surrounding the mound of rubble where Mari had been was now cracking. It started small at first, with just a few minor crevices, but the cracks rapidly deepening, with chunks of the floor heaving dangerously as a potent blue energy seethed within them. And as Nadia looked at them, she plainly recognized something was wrong, and quickly took to the air to distance herself. And was just in time, for it was then that the pile of rubble shattered along with the floor.

 _"Aaacckk!"_ Nadia cried out even as she rapidly moved to distance herself from the site of the blast, already looking for any sign of her enemy. Scanning the ground below for even the slightest trace of movement from Mari.

To Misato's considerable dismay, Nadia was, unfortunately, looking in the wrong direction. For a moment later, a bolt of chi struck the Atlantean in the back, sending her tumbling to the floor below. While her landing was far from graceful, it didn't take Nadia long to recover from her plunge, and once she had, she lost no time in searching for the source of the blast. Only for her eyes to bulge in shock as she saw Mari hovering overhead, chi wrapped about her hands and her shield once again placed securely on her left forearm. And a deadly dangerous glare marking her features that told everyone who was watching that things were about to get _very_ serious.

"Wha- she can _fly?!"_ Misato incredulously demanded.

"Wha- you can _fly?!"_ Nadia demanded at almost the exact same instant.

"My Uncle Steve gave me lessons. He's very good to me," Mari replied with the poisonous smile of a snake about to strike. Then she scowled furiously before adding, "As for you...you were right; fun time's _over."_ With that, the Super Soldier drew back her hands and rapidly gathered energy between them before crying out, _"Kamehameha!"_

 _What?!_ was all Misato had time to think before Mari unleashed the powerful technique upon Nadia. The Turtle Devastation Wave lanced out at the Atlantean, who hurriedly darted out of its path, quickly distancing herself from her attacker. _Oh, shit...!_

"Still think you can handle me?!" Mari demanded as she flew in at Nadia, matching the Atlantean's speed. Crying out in surprise, Nadia tried to buy herself some breathing room, but the Super Soldier used the photonic force generators of her armor to generate an energy lasso that wrapped about the Submariner's leg, allowing Mari to pull herself closer. Close enough to raise her shield and smash Nadia right in the face with it. "Still think I'm _garbage?!"_

Tumbling about in mid-air after that strike, Nadia tried to recover. But even as she managed to right herself, Mari grinned, and it wasn't a nice grin. "Well, let me show you something that this 'whore's' been just _dying_ to try out in battle! Build-Up Armor, _activate!"_

With these words, Mari's battlesuit lit up with a corona of rainbow light, light that rippled forth from her in a digital stream of energy. The rainbow light gathered about her upper torso, soon forming into a high-tech piece of armor fitted with large shoulder pads and had the star-symbol of her shield displayed prominently in the center, with sections of blue energy glowing a dangerous power. A moment later, that same rainbow energy gathered about the rim of her shield before reforming into a metallic ring mounted to the shield at five points with what looked like some kind of energy outputs at each point. This was all capped off by some kind of headpiece appearing upon Mari's helmet, linking directly with her visor.

 _Oh, shit!_ Misato grimaced even as the five energy outputs on the shield's ring lit up, spilling forth deadly power. _All this power-up is missing is the proper theme music!_

 _"Shield Ring!"_ Mari cried out even as she launched her shield at Nadia, the metallic discus flying forth far faster than Misato had ever seen it fly before. Far too fast for the Atlantean to even hope to dodge.

 _"Oooh!"_ Kensuke cringed even as the armor-enhanced shield crashed right into Nadia, eliciting an agonized screech as it dug into her body and carried her through the air right before smashing right into the far wall with enough force that the Atlantean didn't just crater it upon impact; the entire wall began cracking apart, sections heaving forth and some even falling out of the wall entirely even as the shield rebounded away, already returning to its mistress. "I've already watched this part _three times,_ and it looks _worse_ every time I see it!"

As Mari caught the shield, Nadia continued to hang against the wall, apparently so thoroughly embedded in it that she couldn't even move. But after several seconds passed, whatever was holding her in place succumbed to the force of gravity, allowing the Atlantean to fall forward and going crashing to the floor. Upon seeing the fall of her foe, the Super Soldier descended as well, coming to land gently on the ground before starting forward towards where Nadia even now was struggling to get back to her feet.

As Nadia slowly managed to press herself up onto her hands and feet, she looked up at her approaching foe, and Misato could see from the grit of determination she wore that, even now, battered and bloodied, she wasn't even considering surrendering to her enemy. Instead, the Atlantean forced herself up onto one foot, and then, with considerable effort, as well as grunts of pain and exertion, got back on her other foot as well. But it was there that her body failed her, as she staggered back against the shattered wall, not quite able to support her own weight.

 _Not that I can blame her!_ Misato thought as she studied the point of the impact she had suffered. _These walls were built to survive the worst we can throw at them! What the hell is it with that thing?! That...Build-Up Armor?!_

Heedless of Nadia's efforts to stand unassisted, Mari continued her approach, slowly walking forward until she came to stand only a short distance from the Atlantean. Pausing to glare her pain and frustration at the Super Soldier, Nadia clenched her right hand into a fist, and after heaving several deep breaths, she cried out and lunged at Mari. But this slow and clumsy charge was easily stopped as the shield wielder caught the purple-haired girl by her shoulder and again slammed her against the wall. And as Nadia cried out in fresh agony, the Super Soldier raised her left forearm, where her shield once again hung proudly, angling the edge so that it lined up perfectly with Nadia's eyes.

And then Mari thrust it forward, the movement alone enough to cause Nadia to recoil and close her eyes. Only to open them once more when she heard the shield driving into the wall, and turned her head to see that it was less than an inch away from her nose.

"You weren't ready for me," Mari breathed, causing Nadia to jump slightly before looking at her once more. "You didn't know about the improvements to my battlesuit, my new skills. Flight, the Kamehameha...there's so much about me you don't know...because I'm not the person I was a year ago. And even though there's stuff about me that's the same...there's a whole lot more that's _different..."_

A few seconds passed as the two of them studied each other before Nadia demanded, "Why...why didn't you use this armor before?! Or fly?! Or...or do any of that?!"

"Uncle Steve...he's a big fan of 'The Art of War'. He quotes Sun Tzu, and...well, one of those quotes is, 'Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant'," Mari explained. "Which basically means...don't show off just how strong you are, because that way...the enemy won't _expect_ you to be as strong as you are." Then the Super Soldier issued a mild chuckle before admitting, "Of course, my personal favorite quote is, 'If your opponent is of choleric temper, seek to irritate him'. I'm sure you can guess what that one means."

A moment of heavy silence passed before Mari spoke again. "Like I said...I'm not the same person I was a year ago. So much has changed in my life... _I've_ changed..." she told the Champion. "You'd have beaten the person I was before...but not the person I am _now."_ Pausing to heave another deep breath, the Super Soldier went on to say, "And I'm willing to bet the same goes for the Joker R gang and the Golden Four. That they aren't the same people they were a year ago. And the Champions...they knew the old versions of both gangs. They knew how to deal with them, they knew how to beat them...but what about the people they are now? They've lost resources...but that does that mean they're weaker now? Or...are they like me? Did they decide that...they needed to be stronger...and so they decided to _become_ stronger?" Pausing to scowl at her adversary, Mari growled, "I don't know...but I'm not willing to risk people's lives to find out!"

"And you think we _are?!"_ Nadia shot back with considerable effort. "That we don't care?!"

"No...but I think you've got your priorities pretty fucked up!" Mari informed her. "Look...I know what it's like to be screwed by the public. To be stuck having to earn people's trust, and not wanting to do anything to piss that away. So yeah, I can get why your bosses want to perk up your reputation. Do some politicking, hit the PR trail, do all that crap I can't stand...but this _isn't_ the right way to do it! You and your team...you were picked to deal with the _press!_ When Misato and whoever else is involved should have been picking a team to _defend!_ To be ready for whatever the gangs will throw at them!"

"And you think we're _not ready?!"_ Nadia gritted back at her.

"What I think is that you and the others...are great _attackers,"_ Mari slowly explained. "But your vulnerabilities...are just way too easy to exploit to make you work as a _defensive_ team." Pausing to pick her next words, the Super Soldier looked hard at the Atlantean. "This ceremony...who knows how long it will last? Probably _hours_...with plenty of politicians giving boring speeches, business people trying to get attention for themselves or whatever it is they do in situations like that...all the time in the damned world for the Joker R gang and Golden Four to make whatever last-minute adjustments they might want to their plans...so they can take you down. All they'd need is the right equipment...and the right plan."

Nadia didn't say anything to this, and neither did Misato. For any argument they might have made was rendered invalid by the fact that the Champions had just been handed a defeat by a person with the right equipment and the right plan.

Heaving deep breath after deep breath, Mari stared hard into Nadia's face for a time before speaking again. "I didn't have to go easy on you three, you know. A few different moves at the beginning...some other techniques or spells...hell, I even gave you an out when I could have put you down! Three dendrotoxin rounds while you were recovering from the explosive gel...and you'd have been out for days!" Misato watched as this reality exploded in the Atlantean's eyes, prompting her to gasp in surprise. "But last year, I learned something truly important. About what it means to be a hero...about what it takes. And that in the end, Champions, Avengers, Justice League...whatever we call ourselves or whatever team we're on, we're _all_ heroes! And we _all_ have precisely one job to do...to help those in need in whatever way we can. So I came here, hoping that we could work together in a way that solves all our problems _and_ ensures that we do what we're supposed to do." Then the Super Soldier's scowl intensified to almost dangerous levels. "But all I've heard about since I first arrived in Misato's office...is people talking about the Champions' PR problems! That Stingray Industries looked bad because of some damned bitch's mistake...and so you decided to take advantage of something that could wind up turning into a catastrophe! That you didn't want the help of the Avengers or anyone else, all so the Champions could score some brownie points in front of everyone! All so you could prove to the people that you're ready to protect them!" Pausing to heave several deep breathes, Mari leaned in closer and snarled, "You want to show people that you can protect them?! Then stop worrying about scoring points for the Champions' PR Department and start focusing on actually _protecting them!"_

Once again, Mari paused to heave several deep breaths, as if the effort of speaking and the battle was finally catching up with her. Leaving Nadia to recover somewhat and ask, "How can you be so sure...we can't handle this? We've beaten the Joker R gang _dozens_ of times! Same with the Golden Four! What makes _this_ time...so different?"

It took Mari several moments to speak, and when she did, her words were low and to the point. "Because you're not the only ones...who wound up looking bad last year. Both gangs lost...to one little girl on probation. And you have to know that their reputation with the local scum...is hurting as much as Stingray Industries'. Hell, it's probably hurting a lot worse. And like you...they're looking at the Fourth of July as their big chance to show everyone they're as badass as ever. This isn't just another scheme for sick laughs or money...they're going to be out to prove something to the rest of the world. They're gonna be out for blood." A beat passed before the Super Soldier added, "And both gangs know you. They have to know what they're going to getting into if they come. So do you honestly think they'd walk into a situation like this...unless they were _certain_ they could win?" Heaving another breath, Mari pulled her shield out of the wall and pushed herself away from Nadia. "Spend some time thinking about that after they haul you off to the hospital or whatever it is the Champions have here. Me...I've got a job to do."

With that, Mari turned on her heels and started away, moving slowly and deliberately towards the door. Rainbow sparkles emerged around the Build-Up Armor and the ring about her shield, right before they dissolved into a corona of light and disappeared. All the while Nadia continued to glower at her, her features twisted with rage...until she managed to push herself off of the wall and charged.

"Nadia, _don't!"_ Misato couldn't help but cry out, but the recording did exactly what the real Nadia had done; it charged towards Mari, right fist cocked and at the ready to be thrust right into the back of her head. Only for the Atlantean's charge to be halted when the Super Soldier raised her shielded left arm and Offhand Backhanded it right into Nadia's face. Leaving the Commander and Kensuke to wince sympathetically at a sound not unlike a gong being rung or the closing bell of a heavyweight fight that had just been won, just before the Atlantean staggered back a step, shaking badly right before her eyes rolled up into her sockets and, in a way that prompted Misato to think of the sound of a massive tree being felled, crumpled to the floor to land in the exact same position they had found her in. "Aw, shit...!"

Pausing the video at this, Kensuke gave a hapless shrug. "Well...they made a pretty good fight of it..."

 _"A pretty good fight of it?!"_ Misato repeated, turning to stare incredulously at Kensuke, scarcely able to believe what he had just said. "Ken, didn't you just see that?! Three of our best and most powerful members versus a single Super Soldier, and all they managed to do was tear up her battlesuit a bit! We had to wheel them all out of there on _gurneys,_ while she walked out of that training room _without so much as a damned scratch!"_

"Well...not really," Kensuke warily answered even as he resumed the video. "Here, take a look."

With that, Kensuke resumed the video, with both of them again focusing on Mari who was turning to look down at the downed Nadia. "Dumbass...should've -" she started to say, only to let out a pained gasp as she staggered a bit, very nearly falling to her knee as she clenched her side. "Dammit...!" she gritted furiously, heaving a deep breath after a deep breath. "That really _did_ hurt...!"

The two of them watched as Mari remained in that position for a time before slowly, methodically composing herself. Heaving deep breath after deep breath, she then forced herself back up to her feet before pulling what looked like a pill bottle from her utility belt. Popping a couple pills from it into her mouth, she then returned the bottle to her belt before heaving a couple more breaths. Then she forced that same big smile Misato had seen her wearing before into place before proceeding to make her way towards the exit.

"Looks like that big hit from Nadia did a lot more damage than she let on," Kensuke decided as the video concluded. "But if she was that badly hurt, then why -?"

"She doesn't want to look weak, Ken. She doesn't want to be vulnerable," Misato quickly explained to him with a definite frown on her face. "Not to us, and maybe not even to her own team."

Several seconds passed as Kensuke considered this, right before asking, "So...what do we do now?"

 _That's a damned good question,_ Misato thought even as she considered the events of this day. Both parties, Mari and the Champions, were in this position because of a combination of circumstances beyond their control and the need to obtain the trust and confidence of others. But because of the exact circumstances of their predicaments, it looked like only one of them could win out, and even the winner stood to lose badly, depending on how everything went. Something made even worse by the fact that Mari had made some very valid points during the battle. The Joker R gang and Golden Four, if they struck, would be motivated by pride, by the need to recoup some of their supervillain reputation. And they had the advantages of an ideal battlefield and being able to pick the perfect time to strike. _No wonder pride's a deadly sin...dammit..._

"First, I'm gonna have to come up with some kind of report to give to Ms. Stingray to explain how the team I'd hand-selected was ripped apart by one Avenger," Misato grimaced, not even wanting to think about how she would ever manage to explain this disaster to her boss. "And next...I'm gonna try and find another way of handling this. Because Mari was right; the Avengers _aren't_ our enemies, and we _do_ have a job to do. So I'm gonna try and think of a way for us all to get what we need."

"Do you think Ms. Stingray will go for that?" Kensuke replied.

 _No,_ Misato immediately thought, recalling how deeply Sylia Stingray's own pride and determination ran, and how that had at one point or another blown up in their faces, with the 'Reipe' fiasco immediately leaping to mind. _She's at least as stubborn as Mari, if not even more!_

"All I can do is try," was what Misato actually said. "Because Mari was right about one thing; we're _all_ heroes. And there _has_ to be a way for us to stop fighting each other and get the damned job done!"

* * *

"So how's everything proceeding, Scarecrow?" Joker R wondered as he nonchalantly entered the lab that Jinnai had slowly been building up in their current headquarters. "Are our little party favors brewing nicely?"

"Of course," Jinnai returned with no small amount of pride and irritability. "But don't forget that this is basically the last of our supply of chemicals! No matter how this goes, we're gonna have to get more before we can pull something else! And we had a bad enough time just getting the supplies we have now!"

"Oh, don't worry your head over it! Trust me, when this is over, we'll have won back everything we've spent on this little endeavor, and then some!" Joker R assured the Scarecrow amalgam even as he sidled up to him. "But first...I have something special I want you to look over."

Frowning as he looked up from his present labors, Jinnai looked to see that Joker R was holding up a large, silver case with several locks fitted to it. A case that the clown martial artist had set down on a nearby table and was in the process of unlocking. "Where'd you get that?" Jinnai wondered with a slight frown. "What's in it?"

"Remember back in the day, before Goldie and her wonderful little empire went belly-up on us and our own operations succumbed to the wrecking ball?" Joker R wondered in a nonchalant manner as he finished unlocking the first of three locks. "And how it was standard policy that we'd hide stashes of goodies away in 'special' locations? You know, something to tide us over in the event of a rainy day?"

"Of course! _Every_ criminal who knows anything leaves a small cache of supplies in an unlisted location!" Jinnai declared with a hint of annoyance. "How else would we have been able to get started again as fast as we did?!"

"How true," Joker R admitted as he opened up the second lock. "And while we had to empty out _most_ of our emergency larders, there was _one_ particular chest of goodies that we hadn't. A special little something that I've been saving for a very _special_ day!"

 _"Most_ of our -?! But -!" Jinnai started, his eyes going wide as he realized what his boss was saying. "Wait - you mean you've been holding out on us?!"

"Holding out?! Perish the thought!" Joker R returned, his eyes widening in feigned dismay. "No, nothing like _that,_ Scarecrow! However...well, let's just say that I was moseying around one of Goldie's facilities one day when she had been carrying out some of her experiments. Special projects she had been toying with before her big scheme for the last Fourth of July, experiments that didn't quite work out they way she wanted. And I found some very interesting little items in her stash. Things that she couldn't think of a way to make use of at the time and so had set aside for future experimentation." Then he gave a wicked chuckle in his throat before he added, "However, when I saw some of the specifics of these little goodies, I realized that I knew _precisely_ how to make use of them! And so I decided to help myself to a few things!"

His eyes rounding with surprise as Joker R finished unlocking the case, Jinnai looked on as his boss opened it up, and revealed several metal canisters with glass partitions, revealing that they held chemicals that glowed with their own deadly green light. "But - why didn't you say something sooner?!" the fear-monger sputtered out even as he gazed at the canisters and the bounty they held. "With our supplies as low as they are, we could've used this stuff a long time ago!"

"Er, nope. 'Fraid not," Joker R quickly replied. "See, Scarecrow, these particular chemical collections come completely concocted for a very specific purpose. Not the sort of thing we could use to boost ourselves or leave the crowds in fits of laughter or use to make something else. Fact is, we wouldn't have even been able to use them back before the last Fourth because they needed something very special to make them useful. Which was part of the reason why I underwent the special training from hell that I've been applying to myself since we busted out!" With that, the Clown Prince of Crime gently lifted one of the canisters out of the case and carefully carried it over to the table where Jinnai had set up all of his equipment. "But before we put this hidden stash to good use, I need you to give them the once over. Just to make sure that time hasn't taken its toll on what I've been saving for a rainy day."

"Well, they should be stable. From the looks of things, everything was stored properly. These canisters are a hermetically sealed, and that case was insulated, so they should be just fine." But then Jinnai frowned, because he was already damnably curious about whatever concoctions his boss had tucked away and was suddenly breaking out of storage now. And the grin on his face made it clear that he wasn't going to just say what they were. He wanted Jinnai to find out for himself. "Still, I suppose it couldn't hurt to make sure."

"No, it couldn't," Joker R agreed as Jinnai slowly, carefully, broke the seal on the canister, and with the expertise born of much time and practice, took a tiny sample of the substance within and placed it on a microscope slide. Once this was done, he inserted the sample into the analyzer and began to run a computer analysis of the compound in question.

It didn't take long for the computer to break down the exact chemical makeup of the substance in the canister. And when Jinnai realized precisely what it was, his jaw clattered right to the floor and was followed by his eyes tumbling onto the table. "Wh- wha- I -?!" he sputtered incoherently before finally managing to his mouth and eyes back in place and working the way they should be. "But this is -?!"

"Precisely!" Joker R grinned wickedly, clearly enjoying Jinnai's astonishment. "So tell me something, Scarecrow; is it stable? Can we put it to work?"

Several seconds passed as Jinnai frowned right before returning his focus to the compound in question. "Well, everything _looks_ fine. No sign of degradation," he slowly admitted. "But - how are we supposed to even use this?! If we even try to -!"

"Don't worry, Scarecrow! For you see, _this_ is where all that training we've been doing pays off! In _spades!"_ Joker R grinned cruelly. "So don't you worry your head about supply issues! Because by the time we're done, we'll be up to our armpits in cash, new toys...and a certain star-spangled bimbo's blood...!"

* * *

Author's Notes: Now presenting Chapter 3! Hope you all like it!


	4. Working Through Some Problems

Disclaimer: I do not own Evangelion, any of the characters or concepts depicted here, or anything associated with them. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Rise of the Extraordinary Avengers

Chapter 4: Working Through Some Problems

 _Distraction, diversion, and division,_ Mari thought with a wan smile as she sat in the back of the taxi cab, watching the scenery go by. _I love the A-Team..._

As much as her Uncle Steve had taught her about the wisdom of planning ahead, of researching foes and situations in order to stay one step ahead of the opposition, another of the important lessons he had taught her was in regards to the fact that, more often than not, there simply wasn't enough time to do something like that. There were situations where you caught by surprise, taken off guard, and it was in such situations that most people got by with simple improvisation.

But just because there wasn't much time, if you kept your cool and thought things out, you could still work a situation to your advantage through a combination of skill and accurate analysis of any given situation.

Mari had been confronted with three of the most powerful human-like metas running around Coreline, and on top of that, their Kryptonite Factors had been mostly negated. They weren't going to be overly careless, not seasoned veterans like them, and it had rapidly become clear that they weren't going to make the mistake of underestimating her. In a situation like that, most people would figure that Mari would have been utterly and completely doomed. And while she wasn't opposed to going head-to-head with her adversaries, overpowering them wasn't really an option. She had to remind the Champions that they could be outmaneuvered. Outsmarted. Just like Joker R would do to them.

All it had taken was a bit of analysis for Mari to realize that she had some things working in her favor. One, the Champions, though experienced, most likely didn't think she was a severe enough a threat to really warrant a great deal of caution. Two, Nadia was a hothead and easily ticked off by a liberal application of trash talk. Three, they weren't up to date on the recent additions to Mari's arsenal of skills and weapons. And four, the fact that their Kryptonite Factors were negated by Spider-Man Kensuke's equipment made it that much more likely that they would be dismissive of the potential danger. Throw in the one trick they knew Mari had up her sleeve that could prove disastrous for them to be on the receiving end on, and she had the means to ensure that they would be quick to rush into an impromptu trap.

A blinding flash from her battlesuit's photonic force generators had given Mari the chance to perform a quick substitution with Hikari, making her the target of her friends' assaults, and providing the perfect distraction. A sonic grenade provided the diversion, being capable of hurting all three of her opponents, and hurting Superman Gamma most of all, something that prompted Mari to make a mental note to thank her Uncle Steve for all his helpful hints on dealing with Kryptonians. For it had been that grenade that had allowed her ample time to divide up her opponents by taking down both of her biggest threats quickly enough to even up the odds, allowing Mari to focus on the hothead of the trio that she knew that she could effortlessly enrage into making completely stupid mistakes. And for the most part, it had been a spectacular success.

 _Right up until I fired on her with my_ mouth _instead of my dendrotoxin rounds,_ Mari thought, wincing as she again felt at her side, which had taken the brunt of Nadia's downward charge that had driven her right into the floor. The vibranium mesh of her battlesuit offered considerable protection, though it could only stop the kinetic energy and such of an attack, not necessarily the attack itself. Her extreme durability due to the more advanced version of the Super Soldier Serum was another plus, and the Bakusai Tenketsu training had added another layer of defense, making her quite difficult to hurt. But that last blow had certainly done the job, leaving her in a great deal of pain. And Nadia's Lightning Mode had certainly inflicted a few other bangs, bumps, and bruises to her. Nothing that wouldn't heal quickly enough, but more than enough to leave her sore for the foreseeable future. _Dammit...just glad I keep some emergency medicines in my belt..._

The pain of her body was fading, due to the medicine and her augmented healing. But even as Mari sat back and watched the streets of Chicago roll past her, she frowned, for another pain was now hovering in the back of her mind, once again forced to the surface by Nadia's words.

Since she had gained the ability to perfectly emulate any physical skill just by seeing it once, Mari had been considered by many as little more than a pathetic fraud. It had been bad enough when so many had considered her nothing more than a bad copy of Captain America; this power had made her a bad copy of _everything_ who was making do with skills she had simply Xeroxed from the world's greatest fighters. Not considering for a moment that, even after her body had learned the movements, Mari had had to train herself to incorporate them into her fighting form, to learn what lay behind each move and make it truly her own.

 _Pretty much_ everybody _learns by watching someone else do something! My body just happens to do it faster than most!_ Mari thought, recalling the many times she had made such arguments. _Nobody says an alternate of Superman's strength is any less real just because they're Kryptonian!_

But that had not been the only way Mari had been stung by Nadia's words. For shortly after the shield wielder had become the first Extraordinary Avenger, her Uncle Steve had felt it would be a good idea for her to assist the Champions in dismantling the operations of both the Joker R gang and Golden Four. This was due to the fact that she had mapped out the locations of a great many of their bases and so on during her previous adventure in the Windy City, if not all of them. And since she had already been successful in infiltrating them once, she had quickly become the woman on point for taking their communications and neutralizing any and all security measures at each location, taking them all down, one by one.

The operation had been exceptionally successful, and Misato had had nothing but kind words for Mari back then. But while the Super Soldier had had only there for a brief period of time, she had been on a tight leash, due Misato wanting things to done exactly right so there would be nothing in their methods that either gang's lawyers could exploit. She had only worked with a select few of the Champions, and save for Misato and Yui, the Champions that had she had worked with had been less than pleased with Mari's presence. And none had been more willing to make clear her low opinion of the Super Soldier than their Asuka Langley-Shikinami, aka Captain Marvel. The entire time Mari had worked with them, the wielder of the power of Shazam had made no bones about the fact that she considered the shield slinger's success to be nothing more than a miraculous fluke, that she had simply stumbled into a lucky break and had managed to defeat the Joker R gang and Golden Four merely because neither group of criminals had been taking her seriously. She had deeply resented Mari, resented the fact that she was being given such high praise when the Champions were looked down upon simply because they were a corporate team, and had resented the corporate backlash that had been the result of the Champions not being the ones to deal with that particular threat to Chicago.

 _I know I screwed up a few things before the operation, and I get that she had plenty of reasons to be mad, but seriously! We got the job done and convicted a shitload of Goldie's and Joker R's flunkies!_ Mari thought, recalling some of her errors, as well as the perfect execution of many takedowns of Joker R gang and Golden Four locations. _And it's not like she was the only one who felt that way!_ Pausing to think of her dealings with other members of the Champions who had been similarly scornful of the Super Soldier and her success, acting like it had been all her fault they had been in that position and completely forgetting that she _had_ tried calling them before whoever had answered Mari's calls had subsequently dismissed her as a crackpot. _And I'm_ still _getting screwed by whatever fallout the Champions got from what happened a year later?! What the hell is wrong with them?!_

These were things that Nadia's own taunts had brought back with a brutal vengeance, something made worse by the fact that Mari knew that it wasn't just the identity she bore that was the problem. For at one time, she had thought that at least part of the reason for being turned down by the Champions was the fact that she hadn't been considered powerful enough to measure up to the Champions' standards. And this had been one of the things that had led to her and Thunderstrike going on a training journey. And it had been during that time she had done everything she could, learned every skill she could master, refined her body and her powers to previously unheard of heights. Pushed herself to be better, to be the _best_ she could be _,_ both to cope with the Core Timeline, and to show the world that she wasn't some useless deadweight.

Then, during the trip to New York that had led to her first meeting her honorary Uncle Steve, Mari had recently wrapped up some new training when she had bumped into a street-tough version of Avatar Korra, who had been in the process of taking down some cybernetic punks roughing up the neighborhood with the help of her Pokémon. Seeing someone in need of help and some asses in severe need of being kicked, Mari had happily pitched in, and once the two had finished, they had spent some time chatting over a couple bottles of juice. It had been to Mari's considerable surprise when she had learned that this version of Korra not only lacked any sort of bending power but had never even had them at all. Korra, for her part, had been quite impressed with Mari's power and fighting prowess and had suggested that she join the Champions. Mari, not wanting to get into the fact that she had already been turned down for membership, had jokingly remarked that she didn't think she was powerful enough to be considered for membership, only to wind up spitting out a mouthful of juice in shock when Korra had revealed that she was a member of the New York branch of the Champions. There hadn't been time for any further conversation, with Korra being called away to deal with some emergency, but she had left smiling, telling Mari to consider joining before leaving.

 _A Pokémon trainer! They hired a freakin'_ Pokémon trainer _with some martial arts know-how over me!_ Mari fumed silently just before groaning. _Dammit...and I thought I'd_ finally _gotten past all that crap..._

Pausing to shake her head, Mari practiced some of the breathing exercises she had picked up from one of the alternates of Bruce Banner during her time at the Infinite Avengers Tower. She didn't want to waste her life on being mad about something that happened a long time ago, and besides, when Mari had thought to stop and visit the New York Champions after joining the Avengers, Korra and her friends Mana Kirishima-Sumdac, Mayumi Yamagishi/Storm, and Katara/Wonder Woman had all been pleased as punch to meet her and to learn that Mari had become the first amalgam to join the Avengers, They had become good friends, so Mari knew that not all Champions held a grudge against her. And besides, it was getting to the point where her skills and abilities made it dangerous for her to let her anger over such things take control of her.

 _I could've_ killed _Nadia back there!_ Mari thought, recalling how she had summoned her Build-Up Armor, a power-enhancing attack armor that was even now in the process of being produced and distributed to various members of the Avengers. _If I hadn't left the safeties on, they'd be picking up what's left of her with a_ blotter _!_ Then she looked out the window and saw her stop approaching. _Besides, I've got more important things to worry about right now..._

"Here we are, Captain; the Meta Hotel!" spoke the cabby, a relatively unremarkable man with a ready smile.

"Thank you!" Mari replied, grabbing up the small bag that sat next to her and opening the door. Moving carefully so as to not aggravate her injury, the Super Soldier exited the cab. "Oh, and I put a tip on my credit card."

"Okay, thanks!" the cabby nodded with a smile. "You know, I still can't believe that the Avengers have their own line of credit cards!"

"Oh, sure!" Mari assured him with a broad smile even as she gingerly moved to look at him through the window and hold up the credit card in question. "The Avengers Express card; I never leave the Infinite Avengers Tower without it."

Again, the cabby chuckled, clearly not having a problem with Mari's sense of humor. "Eh, by the way, Captain!" he continued, looking earnestly at the Super Soldier. "When we heard that you were in town, some of the guys and I, we got to talking, and...well, some of them are saying that the reason you're out here is to set up a team of Avengers here in the Windy City."

 _Oh, shitballs..._ Mari promptly thought, doing her best to keep her dismay from reaching her face. Already kicking herself for deciding to take a cab instead of toughing out her injuries and hiking back on foot. _Thanks a bunch for letting the world know I was in town, Governor Asswipe...!"_

"So, is it true?" the cabby wondered, apparently unaware of Mari's dismay. "Because I gotta tell ya, I'd _love_ to have a bunch of _real_ heroes out here!"

Mari was about to respond when she caught the disparaging tone with which the cabby spoke. Hoping to divert the conversation away from a more sensitive topic of conversation, she asked, "Not a huge fan of the Champions, huh?"

"Who's a fan of _them?!_ All they are is a bunch of corporate goons in capes!" the cabby promptly sneered. "I mean, we had a bunch of giant robots attacking one time, and I got home that night to find out that I didn't even _have_ a home anymore! My apartment building had been completely _stomped flat!_ Pretty much _everything_ I had in the whole world, _gone!"_ As the cabby snapped his finger for emphasis, Mari found herself wincing sympathetically to the pain and bitterness in his voice. "And you want to know _why?!_ Because all those pretty boys and girls in capes were all _too busy_ making sure that a bunch of _warehouses_ with Stingray Industries _garbage_ were all safe and protected before they could even be bothered to save people's _homes!_ Me and a whole bunch of others were _homeless_ for what felt like _forever!_ And even _after_ I got a new place, I had to spend a _bundle_ getting new furniture, making it livable...!"

Her insides twisting somewhat as she thought about how things had been for her and Maria when they had first arrived in Coreline. "It's hard, trying to rebuild a life..."

"'Hard' ain't the word for it, Captain!" the cabby continued. "I tell ya, those goons, all they care about is the company's bottom line! They are _bought and paid for,_ each and every last one of them!"

Mari rapidly considered her options. She didn't want to waste time defending the Champions, and in all honesty, wasn't in the mood to do so after being on the business end of the corporate line herself. And she didn't want to deny anything or use any kind of evasions. So she smiled and answered, "Well...all I can say is that, right now, I'm just scouting locations where a team could...set up shop. You know what they say; location is _everything."_

"Then we _are_ getting an Avengers team out here!" the cabby declared, clearly thrilled.

"Eventually," Mari replied, trying to make it sound like this was something that could happen some time well down the road, rather than they already had a team in place. "But you know how it is. Making arrangements, finding the right location, getting everything in place to begin construction and all the rest of it..."

"Oh, I hear ya, Captain! I hear ya!" the cabby replied with a lopsided smile that made it clear he was familiar with the nature of the beast that was red tape. "Well, best of luck to you! And _Avengers Assemble!"_

"That we will, that we will," Mari replied easily even as the satisfied cabby drove off, doubtlessly looking for his next fare. Only to heave a deep sigh and frown.

 _He lost his home because the Champions put greater priority on protecting Stingray Industries warehouses instead of people's homes?_ Mari frowned, her heart screaming in outrage at such a thing. In her head, she could see some sense in the defense of corporate assets. After all, the Champions were funded by Stingray Industries, and if Stingray Industries lost too much in the way of resources, so would the Champions. And the stockholders would start complaining, and those complaints would ripple down through the corporate chain to the Champions, who were contractually obligated to protect the company's resources first and foremost in exchange for a steady paycheck, living space, and so on.

But at the same time...

 _I'm really starting to get what Wonder Katara was saying when she was complaining about that mess with Weather Wizard,_ Mari frowned in thought, recalling how the Amazonian hero had griped about half the New York Champions being assigned to protect places of interest to Stingray Industries even with the many others working to prepare the city for the worst, leaving no more than four members of that team to stop Weather Wizard himself. _No wonder the Champions have so many PR problems..._

Remembering that September quite well, as well as the invasion of mutated Sentinels that had kept the Avengers occupied before they could deal with the monster hurricane Weather Wizard had conjured up, Mari sighed and turned to make her way into the Meta Hotel. It was a fairly ordinary in appearance, neither plain nor fancy. Simply a good place for superhumans to stay while on business or when looking for some intimacy, and a business whose money was spent on keeping the pace durable enough to withstand the rowdier guests, as well as maintain certain security precautions. As soon as she entered the main doorway, Mari was promptly scanned by hotel security systems, making certain that she wasn't running with weapons hot and that she didn't have any additional 'guests', invited or otherwise, on her person. Which she supposed made sense; paying guests wouldn't like the idea of going to bed, only to be assassinated in their sleep by size-shifting murderers. And the hotel management wouldn't like the idea of guests shrinking down a bunch of hard-partying buddies so they wouldn't have to pay to get in.

Not that it mattered to Mari, for once she was past the security, she made her way to the room that she was supposedly staying in and entered. Once there, she found enough odds and ends and clothes items to convince anybody who wasn't in on the secret that, yes, she was actually staying in there. But once she stepped inside the closet, she was quick to find precisely what she needed; what looked like a tiny little train car on an equally tiny track, one that was the perfect size for an ant, as well as a Pym Particle Projector that she quickly used to reduce herself to the needed size to board it. And as soon as she was aboard, the car started rolling down the tracks, heading for a tiny opening that Avengers Infinity had arranged for.

 _I can't wait for the Mansion to finally be finished..._ Mari thought as she got a scenic tour of the underground from an ant's perspective. _The Pyms and Langs and the rest of them might be good with living life from the perspective of a bug, but being the perfect size to be obliterated by a boot is not my idea of fun._ As the car took her past a section of an ant's nest, she grimaced at some of the things she saw. _Ugh...I'd rather be in a Xenomorph hive than down here...!_

Fortunately, the car was fast, and it wasn't too long before it emerged into the open sky. Night was settling upon the city of Chicago, the sky distorted by the cloaking shield that disguised the Avengers Mansion as an ordinary construction site. When the car finally came to a halt, Mari gladly vacated it and looked about her surroundings. Off in the distance, she saw several construction workers laboring away, their footsteps shaking the earth. Really glad that this area had been partitioned off by a small fence equipped with warning lights to indicate that it wasn't safe to step inside, Mari made her way over to another Pym Particle Projector, and by pressing a button on the miniature control panel set to operate it, triggered a beam that quickly restored her to true height.

Sighing with relief once she had climbed up several rungs of the food chain, Mari swung open the door of the fenced off area and studied the Mansion that was in the process of being erected. It was a truly massive structure, easily as large as Stronghold, but unlike the Champions' headquarters, it possessed an old-world charm that the Super Soldier found to be most comforting. Several stories tall and walls of what looked like brick but was substantially more durable and somewhat resembled a castle. Each corner of the Mansion's structure was braced by four towers that projected halfway out from the main wall, and at the center of each wall was a smaller section that extended from the main structure. Surrounding it all was a wall made of the same brick-like material of the Mansion proper, and there was a large lawn with fountains, statuary, and more marking. It also had numerous holes in the lawn, where weapons were in the process of being installed.

"Ah..." Mari sighed as she took it all in with a swelling of pride. "Home, sweet home..."

Pausing just long enough to measure herself against a meter stick she had set up next to the transport and make certain that she'd gotten back all the height that had been sucked out of her at the Hotel, and glancing inside the bag to make certain that her purchase was perfectly intact as well, she then started towards the main entrance to the Mansion. Only to pause when she heard someone call out, "Captain Makinami!"

Pausing at this, really not in the mood for any more bullshit that day, Mari glanced about to see the foreman of the construction crew marching up towards her with a scowl on his face. Already suspecting what he was annoyed about, she nonetheless asked, "What is it, Mr. Evans?"

"I just got finished talking to Mana and the Sergeant, and they tell me that you've given orders that we have to have this place looking like it's fully functional before the Fourth of July!" Mr. Evans declared, fixing the Super Soldier with a stern glare. "Now, I'm telling ya, if this is your idea of a joke, it's not very funny!"

"I agree, it's not funny," Mari returned as she once again started towards the main entrance. "It's also not a joke. It's an emergency."

Blinking a few times as he moved to follow, Mr. Evans declared, "But - you can't be serious! I mean, I know what they told me you wanted, but it's ridiculous!"

"I totally agree," Mari assured him. "Unfortunately, we may have a situation on our hands. So we need to make this place look ready for uninvited guests on the Fourth of July, just in case things go pear-shaped on us. Just a precautionary measure."

"Well, that 'precautionary measure' is completely impossible!" Mr. Evans declared with absolute certainty. "We're shorthanded, we haven't gotten the supplies we need, we lost a ton of stuff thanks to the Disaster Squad, and on top of all that, 'His Majesty' keeps trying to rework all of the designs!"

"I know all about that, unfortunately," Mr. Mari grumbled, already getting a headache. Wondering what made people so obsessive with being in charge when most of the time it seemed little more than a colossal headache to a girl who liked the simple things in life like having sufficient butt to kick, "And I've tried talking to him, but you know how he is. Everything has to be done exactly his way!"

"I know about that! Just like I'm telling you, what you're asking is completely _impossible!"_ Mr. Evans declared even as they reached the door. "There's just no way -!"

"Mr. Evans, every second you spend flapping your big mouth in my face is a second you _could_ be spending on doing your job!" Mari shot back, her nerves already frayed. "Now you'll have full access to the assistance of all the Avengers here! But I don't care what it takes; I want this job done, and I want it done before the night of the Fourth of July! If it's not possible, then _make_ it possible! Don't ask me how, just get it _done!"_

"But _Captain -!"_ Mr. Evans tried to protest one more time even as Mari thrust herself in through the front door and closed it behind her. Making a point of locking it, she then heaved a deep sigh and slouched back against it. Only to wince in pain once more.

"Dammit...!" Mari gritted as she recovered, glaring down at her injury. "I swear, next time I see that bitch Nadia, I'm turning her into a fish-fry! I'll -!"

Princess Mari! came a familiar mental voice, followed quickly by the sound of hooves pattering across the tile flooring. Are you injured?

Looking about for the sound of the hooves, Mari found herself soon facing her team's version of the Black Knight, who was looking at her in concern with all four of his eyes. "Eh, got a bit banged up, Ax," she admitted with a slightly forced grin. "Nothing too serious."

The alternate of Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill drew himself up somewhat higher and scrutinized Mari for a time. My apologies, Princess Mari, but I do not believe you, he informed her through the thought-speak that was the norm for his kind. Although you are smiling, I still see human facial gestures that are indicative of pain. And your battlesuit has suffered some damage. Something that does not happen often.

Mari just sighed and shook her head at this. Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill, or Ax as most called him, was an Andalite. Andalites were an alien species that, unlike most aliens running around Coreline, could not be even remotely confused with a humanoid of any kind. The basic body structure of an Andalite was most similar to that of a centaur, except that Andalites generally looked more delicate, and were coated with blue fur. They also had seven fingers on each hand, as opposed to the usual five, and their ears were raised, almost like a deer's. Although their heads were similar to a human's, they had no mouths. Instead, there were three vertical slits that served as a nose. They had somewhat larger eyes than a human that were shaped like almonds, as well as another pair of eyes mounted on the stalks on the tops of their heads. They were a delicate-looking species, save for the long, powerful tails they had. Tails that ended in a crescent moon blade that was devastatingly sharp. Mari had gotten in a fight with an Andalite once, so she knew just how fast those tails could move. An Andalite could decapitate an average human before they could even realize that they were already dead.

That was what an average Andalite looked like. And what Mari was certain Ax had looked like at one point. But that was not how he looked _now._

Before arriving in the Core Timeline, the alternate of Ax that was on their team was said to have done something truly terrible. Mari didn't know what that something was; she hadn't had a chance or the interest to confront the Black Knight about his past, and Ax had not volunteered it to anyone. What she _did_ know was, whatever mistake he had made, it had been so colossal that he had wound up getting cursed by the Merlin of his timeline as a result.

Mari had encountered a few Merlins in Coreline, so she knew that they were generally slow to anger and didn't curse just anyone. So if Ax had done something to provoke his Merlin into cursing him, that something must have been nothing short of epic. And Mari had seen several Merlin-style curses in action, and they generally followed a certain theme. The first was that they were in some way constructive, designed to make certain that the cursed party could and would make amends for whatever mistake he or she had made. The second was that they were designed as punishment, to make it very clear that one crossed a wizard at his or her own peril. And Ax's curse certainly qualified.

Andalites had a form of technology that allowed them to acquire the DNA of any given creature and take on the form of said creature, which was pretty impressive at first glance. However, the Andalite technology had quite a few problems and limitations. It took at least a minute, usually longer, to change from one being to another. You couldn't change directly from one form to another, so you'd have to return to you base form before changing into something else. It was extremely draining, and to top it all off, if you stayed inside a given morphed form for more than two Earth hours, you stayed in it for good. And there were things like variants of the Omnitrix and other shape-shifting technologies that made the Andalite morphing tech look positively obsolete, much to their humiliation.

Merlin's curse, however, had done away with all of the limitations of Ax's morphing ability and even allowed him to mix-and-match different pieces from different forms. The downside of the curse was that he could _only_ assume mix-and-match forms; he could transform his lower body into the lower body of a lion and his upper body into the wings, legs, and head of a hawk to become a griffin, but he couldn't become a complete lion or a complete hawk. As a result, he could not assume a fully human form or even a full Andalite form, which had resulted in him becoming an instant outcast from his race.

To compensate for this, Ax had used bits and pieces of different DNA sequences to assume a form that resembled his old Andalite body, but with greater physical power. He used the body of a powerful charger stallion for his lower body, and the arms and torso of a powerfully built human male for his upper body, strengthening his resemblance to a centaur. He generally used his Andalite head for its thought-speak capability and his stalk-eyes, and he _always_ kept his Andalite tail whenever possible. On top of this, he had been able to sprout the wings of a bird that were situated just above and behind his horse body's forelegs.

Mari didn't know how the mix-and-match body could function, let alone fly, but was content to let it go as something Merlin's curse had made possible. But that was not the full extent of the curse, for it had also equipped at Ax with the Armor of Avalon, and gave him access to the Sword of Light and the Shield of Night. With the cursed aspect of this being that Ax could never remove the armor until he managed to atone for whatever sins had driven Merlin to curse him in the first place. The armor could change with him, morphing even as he did, but he could never remove it no matter how much he wished to do so.

So now Ax stood before Mari in the guise of the Black Knight, looking much like an armored centaur with wings, looking her over with all four eyes. What happened? he asked in a dangerous voice even as his eyes continued to scan her form. Whoever attacked you shall fall to my...my...

One of the stalk eyes had paused in its assessment and was soon followed by the other eyes, which were now staring in a single direction. Glancing down to follow Ax's gaze, Mari couldn't help but smile as she lifted up the bag she had gotten from the local Cinnabon. "Yes, Ax, this is for you," she assured him, allowing herself a touch of amusement as she watched the normally fearless and honorable warrior drool with his eyes as she dangled the bag before him. "I picked up some cinnamon buns while I was out. Vanilla _and_ chocolate frosted with extra frosting."

I - thank you, Princess Mari! Ax promptly cried out in thought-speak even as he very nearly snatched the bag from her hand, prompting Mari to giggle in her throat. For Andalites in their normal forms, having no mouths, had no real sense of taste. They were grazing creatures in nature, absorbing the grass they crushed underfoot through their hooves. And thus their sense of taste was of nothing to a human's, and they were readily overwhelmed by things such as flavorful foods when they assumed human forms.

This was something Mari had learned the hard way when she had accidentally gotten in between an Andalite and a bundle of cinnamon buns. And it had also been one of those rare fights that she had _not_ enjoyed in the slightest.

"Now, to answer your question, Ax," Mari went on even as her Black Knight glanced inside the bag and gazed upon the bounty she had brought home, "I got into a fight with the Champions, and it looks like our problems are even worse than we realized." A beat passed before she considered her next words. "So...just how many members of the team left between when I headed out for Stronghold and now?"

Looking up from his bag of goodies, Ax looked at Mari with all four of his eyes. None, he promptly reported. All Avengers - save for one - are already at work, doing whatever can be done to carry out your orders.

At this, Mari heaved a deep breath and smiled somewhat. She honestly hadn't expected anyone to take a big hike, but she was a bit surprised and pleased to see that most of them, even one of her biggest headaches, was presently putting their personal issues to the side and getting down to the brass tacks.

However...you were in a fight with the Champions? Ax wondered, frowning with his eyes. What for?

"As I said, the situation's worse than we thought. And I don't think we're going to be getting any rest anytime soon," Mari informed her Black Knight. "So as soon as you're done eating, find the good doctor in residence and tell him to report to the Assembly Hall as soon as possible."

Yes, Princess Mari, Ax promptly replied.

"I _have_ mentioned that you aren't to call me 'Princess', haven't I?" Mari wondered.

Yes, Princess Mari. You have, Ax quickly confirmed.

"Good. Just making sure," Mari replied. For on one level, Ax's insistent use of this title did sometimes get on her nerves, there were other times when it made her laugh like a running gag. And this was one of the latter cases. Then she brought forth her Avengers ID Card and activated it. "Attention, Thunderstrike, Iron Maiden, Wonder Man, Wasp, and Red Hulk," she intoned slowly. "Report to the Assembly Hall at 2000 hours for an update. Our situation just got worse."

* * *

"This is completely unacceptable," Sylia Stingray declared in a stern manner as she looked at Misato from the holographic screen in the Commander's office.

 _Well, that went better than I'd expected,_ Misato couldn't help but think inwardly, having known full well that this would not be anything remotely close to enjoyable from the word go.

From the moment the Commander had seen the team of Champions that she had personally selected for this assignment strewn on the floor after their utter defeat at Mari's hands, she had known that making her report to Sylvia would be as unpleasant as it had been necessary. From the very day the head of Stingray Industries had been informed that the Avengers had been establishing a branch in Chicago that was to be headed by what was likely their biggest embarrassment in recent history, Sylia had made it clear to Misato that she wanted the Champions Commander keeping a close eye on the situation. When she had learned that said embarrassment was to be awarded the Key to the City, Sylia had been even more annoyed, not just at the recognition of the fact that the governor was going to be pulling such an incredibly stupid publicity stunt, but also by the fact that such a ceremony would be reminding everyone of just how badly the Champions had dropped the ball the year before. But even so, she had also seen it as the perfect means to salvage something from this debacle, to repair some of the lingering damage from last year.

 _Right up until she found out that last year's embarrassment is doing her damnedest to be the spanner in her works,_ Misato groaned inwardly. _As alts of Rits would say, this is pathetic..._

Before contacting Sylia to inform her as to what happened, Misato had struggled long and hard to find a way of wording her report so as to best break the news to her in a gentle manner. Unfortunately, there was no such thing as 'gently' running over a person with a truck, so she decided the best way to handle it would be to just lay out the entire situation before her, as well as show her a video of three of their best being utterly and completely trounced by this thorn in the Champions' side. Something that went over with Sylia about as well as Misato had expected.

"Three of our top-tier metas, defeated by this...Super Soldier? Do you have _any_ idea of what would happen if the press were to get hold of this?" Sylia went on, apparently struggling to rein in her displeasure. "What could possibly make you think that letting them fight it out was a good idea?"

"My apologies, Ms. Stingray," Misato replied, struggling to keep her own anger and frustration in check. "I tried explaining things to Mari, but as I've already reported, she _is_ very...determined in her thinking. She absolutely refused to have her team stand down, no matter what I said. So I thought it best to demonstrate that the Champions _were_ capable of handling this situation. I never imagined that she'd be able to beat all three of them at once!"

"Well, she was...unfortunately," Sylia returned, her features inscrutable, save for a slight narrowing of her eyes. "Commander Saotome, I cannot overstate the importance of keeping the Avengers - particularly _this_ team - from becoming involved in whatever happens this Fourth of July. Not only do they have nowhere near the numbers the Chicago Champions have, but their leader is an impulsive hardhead with no respect for authority, let alone how things are handled." A beat passed before she frowned somberly. "The heroes of Chicago have been able to keep things stable for a long time after the Vanishing, with the Champions having had the largest hand in that."

"I'm aware of that, Ms. Stingray," Misato promptly assured her.

Nodding to this, Sylvia Stingray heaved a deep sigh before continuing. "In the wake of the Vanishing, many of the heroes and old hero teams were in complete disarray. Canon heroes clashing with each other, with amalgams, and more, all while trying to establish some sort of order. Both FLAG and the Phoenix Foundation found themselves hopelessly outgunned until they pooled their resources, the mega-corps squabbling among themselves as they tried to assert what power they had in this new world...Stingray Industries was the first to establish any sort of order. _We_ put together the Champions, Stingray Security Services, and all the rest of it while Avengers Infinity and Justice League Unlimited and all the rest of them were still in the midst of organizing themselves, establishing the resources and the foundation of the structures that would allow them to function. And we've been the ones to hold this world together for a very long time." Pausing to frown, Sylia stared hard at Misato. "But the situation's changing, Commander Saotome. The larger superhero teams are becoming more established and spreading their influence. Smaller teams are becoming better organized and more prominent. And with so many changes, we're going to have our hands full, maintaining stability. Especially if we have to deal with loose cannons like this Mari."

"The Champions _have_ been able to work with her in the past," Misato tenderly reminded her. "Her, _and_ the Avengers."

"Agreed. And it's unfortunate that the Avengers got to her first; having the person responsible for saving Chicago on your team would have gone a long way towards defusing the bad press you've gotten. And I can see her as being a valuable resource, _if_ we were in a position to give her orders, or could work with someone who was," Sylia tersely explained. "However...I _have_ read up on this girl, and everything I've seen says that she has no respect for the established rules and how things are done. We've managed to establish a tentative relationship with people such as 'The Gentlemen' Marcone, and have even been able to work with him in certain situations. Same with some of the other mob heads who would be too difficult or costly to try and depose. But this girl...she's just the sort who would decide to try and depose of them when it clearly wouldn't be in anyone's best interests. Unless they're properly reigned in, she and her team could very easily destabilize the tentative relationships we've worked out, and turn the city of Chicago into a war zone trying to fight fights they can't win and shouldn't be fought in the first place. And while she _was_ a great help in taking down Goldie Musou's operation...the last thing we need is to have her running around, whacking the beehive."

Heaving a deep breath as she considered the situation in Chicago, Misato felt her insides twisting about even as she answered, "Understood, Ms. Stingray."

"I hope you do, Commander Saotome," Sylvia replied in a somewhat milder fashion. "We all know empires fall, and so will the empires of crime the mob and more have established. But it has to be done in just the right way. The situation in Chicago and elsewhere requires the subtle precision of the surgeon's scalpel, not to go whacking everything over the head with a sledgehammer the way this Mari seems inclined to do." A beat passed before she then went on to say, "Which is why, as soon as we're done, I want you to contact Avengers Infinity and report to them what happened. Show them the raw video of this Mari's actions in Stronghold, as well as her complete inability to work with your team. Tell them that she clearly needs some additional lessons in inter-agency cooperation and that until she's properly reigned in or replaced as leader of her team, we need them all to be suspended from duties and confined to their Mansion. Have another team take over for them until they're properly dealt with."

"Yes, Ms. Stingray," Misato promptly answered, her insides twisting about that much more.

Nodding to this, Sylvia frowned slightly. "I don't need to tell you how important this ceremony is to us, as well as a great many other important people Stingray Industries and the Champions are affiliated with," she went on unhappily. "The previous Fourth of July was a complete embarrassment for more than just us; various security teams, both affiliated with other companies and independents, the Chicago Police, Code: Blue, SHIELD, the FBI, the U.S. Marshals, underworld organizations we've managed a tentative relationship with, as well as Chicago District Attorney Naomi Armitage, and numerous independent heroes and smaller hero teams. Each and every one of them was greatly humiliated when it became public knowledge of how close this city came to being annihilated, and how no one except for this _one girl_ had been ready to do anything about it. Only the Foundation and Avengers Infinity managed to walk away from that disaster with their reputations intact. We have to do everything we can to, not only to repair the reputations of everyone involved, but also to prevent a similar disaster from happening again."

"Understood," Misato frowned sourly. "On that subject, Superman Gamma and Manhunter Hikari have already recovered, and Nadia should be fully healed in time for the Fourth. Should I have them continue preparations for the ceremony, or...would you rather I assigned another team to cover it?"

"No. I already agreed with your previous judgment in this case; the team you've selected is ideal for this situation. They work well in the public, they can deal with the press in an effective manner, and they're more than powerful enough to handle a wide variety of situations. Those are my foremost concerns in this situation," Sylia promptly replied. "However, I would like your people to improve upon the devices they're using to neutralize their respective vulnerabilities, and see that they are to be on their guard for the entirety of the ceremony." A beat passed before the head of Stingray Industries added, "Hopefully, what happened to them earlier will be a reminder of the dangers of allowing yourself to be taken by surprise."

Several seconds passed as Misato considered this, as well as thought of some of the things that had happened that day. "Ms. Stingray...while I disagree with the way she handled it, Mari _did_ make some good points. The Joker R gang and Golden Four have been lying low for some time now. Who knows what new abilities or weapons they might have obtained since last year. And _if_ they make a move at the ceremony...they wouldn't do so unless they felt confident about their chances of defeating us."

"True," Sylia agreed. "So what is your point?"

"My point is that...perhaps it would be a good idea to have some extra surprises in store for them, when and if they made a move," Misato quickly explained. "And we are off to a bad start in dealing with the Avengers, so...I'd like to be able to work with them in some way. Handle this situation in a way so that both groups come out winners. So...perhaps if we were to ask for them to work for _us_ until after their Mansion is complete? Make it look they're new members of the _Champions,_ not the Avengers? That would allow Mari to maintain face to her team, and for us to -"

"No, Commander Saotome," Sylia declared before Misato could complete her sentence. "Something like that would compromise the Champions' image when people learned that they were actually Avengers. It would make it appear in their eyes that you were unable to carry out your duties. This matter is and _must_ remain the responsibility of the Champions and Stingray Industries. I don't want any Avengers save for Mari herself or one or two guests to become involved. Is that quite clear?"

Sighing as she realized that there was no altering Sylia's mind now, Misato gave a slight nod. "Yes, Ms. Stingray."

"Your point about the Joker R gang and the Golden Four potentially having some new surprises in store for us _is_ well made, however," Sylia admitted with a slight smile. "And we _do_ have to take the lesson we've learned today to heart; in a fight between a Super Soldier and a trio consisting of an Atlantean, a Martian, and a Kryptonian, even the most reckless of gamblers would have gladly put their money on the Champions. And that is money they'd have lost. So we can't afford to repeat the mistake of underestimating our enemies. Of ignoring the possibility that both gangs might have some new surprises in store for us; new members, new weapons...perhaps something else altogether."

"Yes, Ms. Stingray," Misato promptly returned, feeling a bit better at this point.

"I want you and the others at Stronghold to put together some surprises of your own. As will my people on this end," Sylia instructed her. "And if either or both gangs try to make a move on the Fourth...I suspect that they'll wish that they hadn't." A beat passed before she added, "That will be all, Commander Saotome. I'll see you on the Fourth of July."

"Until then," Misato promptly answered, right before Sylia disconnected. Leaving the Champions Commander alone to her thoughts. And those thoughts were not pleasant ones.

As Sylia had said, in a matchup such as the one she had encouraged Mari to take place in, Misato and a great many people would have certainly been confident that Mari would have been utterly decimated by the overwhelming powers confronting her. And yet the Super Soldier had been able to exploit her knowledge of her foes, their abilities and weaknesses, and if not for one mistake with Nadia, would have taken all three down without taking so much as a single blow. And now, she was genuinely worried about the possibility of repeating that mistake.

Furthermore, Misato did want to be able to work with Mari and the Avengers, despite the fact that they had gotten off on a very wrong foot. Chicago certainly needed all the heroes it could get, and trying to ram Stingray Industries' will down the throats of her and the others was about as far south of diplomacy as Mari herself tended to be.

Also - and as much as Misato hated to admit it - there had been a great deal of focus on restoring the reputations of Champions and other parties involved in last year's disaster. And while she had long since gotten tired of the numerous accusations that had been leveled against the Champions that painted them as little more than profiteering hired guns whose interests were focused solely on Stingray Industries' profit margins, there was no denying that their image wasn't as important as the lives of the people they were there to protect. And the Avengers could be an invaluable resource in doing so.

 _Mari came here hoping we could work together in a way that works for everyone,_ Misato frowned sourly. _And while she went about it the wrong way..._ A sound from behind startled her out of her thoughts and prompted her to look about and see that she had a welcome guest. "Oh! Ran-chan!"

"Hey, Misato," replied that alternate of Ranma Saotome that was her husband asked as he approached the purple-haired woman with a tablet computer in hand. Everything ground to a halt as the two embraced and kissed each other vigorously. When they eventually pulled away, the martial artist looked her in the eye, his smile faltering somewhat. "So, how'd Sylia take it?"

"About the way we figured she would," Misato grumbled sourly, shaking her head woefully as she pulled away from her husband. "Dammit...I never saw it coming. I just...never saw it coming! We worked with Mari to take down Goldie and her operations, but I never even imagined that she..." Trailing off even as Ranma nodded in sympathy, the Champions Commander frowned and wondered, "So, I'm guessing you looked at that video?"

"I did. And I _do_ recognize that move Mari used on Gamma," Ranma replied with a frown of his own.

"So what was it?" Misato asked when Ranma didn't reply fast enough. "It looked like the Chestnut Fist, but I've never seen it used that way before."

"That's because it _wasn't._ Or least...the _speed training_ for the Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken works for it as well, but...that wasn't the move she used," Ranma explained with a frown. "It was the Haku Dato Shin Sho. Strike of the Spitting White Snake."

"Strike of the -?!" Misato started, immediately recognizing the name, despite having never seen the move herself. "But - that's Umi-Sen-Ken!"

"Right. One of the two fighting styles my old man cooked up back in the day," Ranma scowled heavily. "I can't say for sure that she's fully mastered _every_ aspect of it or even all of the moves, but...she's definitely learned this one."

"Learning the move itself wouldn't be hard. She can copy any martial arts move just by seeing it once, remember?" Misato reminded her husband. "Shit...she must've picked it up when she was in Nerima..."

"I know. But that doesn't explain the whole problem here," Ranma informed her as he held up the tablet computer and began working it. "Remember what you told me how Dr. McCoy said that all of Gamma's yellow sun power had been sucked out him?" When Misato gave a quick nod, the martial arts specialist went on to say, "Well, I think I've figured out how she did it. Take a look."

Misato looked at the tablet computer and watched as Ranma pressed a portion of the screen, sending video captured into motion. And she watched once again as Mari assaulted Superman Gamma, striking him down and removing much of his costume. "I'm looking..." she said as the video ran its course, "but I don't see anything!"

"Here. Let me replay it," Ranma said as he rewound the video. "But this time, let's look at it in slo-mo."

Nodding to this, Misato watched as Ranma replayed the video, this time at a greatly reduced speed. And at first, she was again in the dark as to what he was trying to show her. Until...

"Wait a second," Misato frowned as she caught a quick flash, and then another one. "Are those sparks?"

"Not exactly. Mari's using Umi-Sen-Ken to do what it was meant to do; help her steal stuff." Then Ranma grimaced and added, "In this case, she's stealing the yellow sunlight right of Gamma's body."

"Wha-?! But -?!" Misato sputtered out, her eyes rounding at the thought. "But that isn't even _possible!"_ Then her common sense kicked in, reminding her the what was possible and impossible in the world of their origins had very little bearings on what worked in Coreline, and she asked, "Uh...isn't it?"

"Ordinarily, yes. That move's good, but it can't steal energy." Then Ranma grimaced and worked the tablet some more. "So I decided to do some more checking on her in action, and...I found _this."_

At this, Ranma played another video, this one showing Mari being confronted with an alternate of the Kryptonian criminal Zod. Misato watched as Mari deployed a bubble of red sun radiation around herself and Zod and somehow managed to summon the shield away from the villain. Then she held it out towards Zod, and to the Commander's surprise, the blue center and star of the shield began to glow. Almost immediately after, the Kryptonian began to wobble a little, and Mari's body exploded, becoming larger and far more muscular. But while Misato was far from surprised when the Super Soldier soon took down the Kryptonian in the sphere of red sun energy, her eyes were bulging when she realized what her husband was driving at. "Was that...the Happo Fifty-Yen Satsu?!"

"More like Happo _Shield_ Satsu, but...yeah," Ranma confirmed with a grimace. "Now, normally, the fact that the shield doesn't have a hole in the center should mean that it _wouldn't_ work, but my guess is that when Mari got it upgraded by those wizards in Camelot, she had them add in some magic that would let her use her shield as a focusing source for the move. The vibranium and uru in it would be perfect for that."

At this point, Misato wanted to smack her head into the desk for being so stupid. "Dammit...she said that she'd trained for a while under a good version of Happosai...!" she muttered sourly. "She must've gotten him to use that pressure point manipulation to alter her metabolism so she could use the move!" Shaking her head furiously, the Commander grumbled, "No wonder Mari was so confident she could handle all three of them! All she would have had to do is aim her shield at them and suck them dry!"

"It's not as simple as that. I'm sure she could have downed Nadia that way, though...I don't know enough about Kryptonians and Martians to be sure how the Satsu would affect them. And as we saw, when Mari used it on Zod, he got a little wobbly, but he didn't go down." Then Ranma admitted, "Though I can't be sure if that's because she couldn't absorb enough energy from him or she only drained enough energy to drain his store of solar power."

"Well, whatever! She must've figured out some way of combining the Satsu with the Spitting White Snake to rip energy out of someone she's fighting!" Misato grumbled sourly. "Dammit, I don't believe this! We worked with her all that time! Why didn't she use any of this _before?!"_ she demanded, only to groan and remind herself, "Because those operations were all about _stealth!_ We had her sneaking around to neutralize communications and security mostly, not actually fighting!"

"And if she'd tried using the Satsu with the Champions around, she'd run the risk of hitting them with the move as well. It's like a shotgun blast; it hits everything in the general direction you aim it in, friend _and_ foe," Ranma added. "And as for the Ultronbuster Goldie controlled, that thing was more machine than human, and I doubt that she could have absorbed the energy from an arc reactor."

"But solar energy metabolized by a Kryptonian is apparently a whole different story. At least different enough that she can depower them if they aren't getting any additional sunlight!" Misato snarled furiously, shaking her head in disbelief. Heaving a deep sigh, she looked hard at Ranma and asked, "Do you know of any place where the Champions have an office that's an even _bigger_ hellhole than Gotham City?"

"Can't say I do," Ranma admitted with a shrug.

"If you think of one, let me know so I can send the Sasuke who passed her over for membership in the Champions there," Misato grumbled, recalling the complete idiot who had decided he didn't want a Mari in the Champions that she had already shipped to Gotham City as punishment for his stupidity.

Nodding to this, Ranma gently asked, "So now that you know _how_ Mari took down the kids...what are you going to do next?"

Heaving a deep sigh, Misato looked hard at her husband. "Right now, I'm going to do what Sylia told me to do," she eventually admitted. "And tomorrow...well, I have some ideas about what we can do about Mari and the Avengers."

A beat passed before Ranma asked, "So, do you want me to give you some privacy, or..."

"Not a chance. This has been one hell of a sucky day. And the minute I'm done talking with the Avengers..." Misato grinned, a low, lustful growl sounding in her throat even as she felt her body press ever so slightly outward in eager anticipation of unleashing her inner beast, "...you're all _mine!"_

* * *

"They want us to _stand down?!"_ Zuko demanded, his eyes flaring with golden fire as he glowered at Mari. "They just want us to stay out of the way so they can _look good in front of the press?!"_

"That's about the size of it," Mari reported with a frown. She was presently stripped down to a tank-top shirt and shorts while their Doctor in residence tended to her injuries. "From what I could tell, Misato is getting a lot of pressure from Ms. Stingray herself and probably a few others. But the bottom line is, she's been given direct orders to make sure that we're out of the Champions way and that we _stay_ there until the Fourth of July is over and done with."

"Uh...no offense, Mari, but...that might not be such a bad idea," murmured the Doctor Strange amalgam and apprentice who was presently kneeling down next to where she sat. His hands laced with soothing blue magic that gingerly rained upon the steadily receding bruise on her side. "Maybe we _should_ stand down. Let the Champions take care of this."

 _"What?!"_ Zuko snarled in disbelief, his eyes flaring even more as his skin shifted to red. With Mari unable to watch as Prince of the Fire Nation transformed, growing to roughly eight feet tall and massive coils of steely muscle filling out his frame. "You actually think we should let them get away with pushing us around?! With -!"

"That's not what I meant at all," the Doctor quickly returned, his blue-grey eyes narrowing slightly as he looked up from his efforts. "What I mean is that I'm not sure if it would be best if we were to get involved with this."

Zuko growled furiously, but before he could make a move, Mari called out, "Now, now, Red. The good Doctor's entitled to his opinion." But even as the fiery prince glared at the Super Soldier in disbelief, Mari looked at the magician tending her wounds, recalled that he had not been one of the ones enthusiastic about mobilizing the team, and wondered, "Buuuut...since we're suddenly on the subject of your opinion, Dr. Shikigami...would you mind explaining why you feel that way?"

For a moment, the alternate of Michiru Kururugi looked up at Mari and frowned uncertainly. He was clad in the garbs often attributed to an alternate of Dr. Strange, which was fitting given that, after an incredible adventure where he had been drawn back into the Feudal Era, the Sorcerer Supreme of his world had soon learned of his magical prowess and the power of the Shikigami, of the forces of nature and more, that were his to command. And so Dr. Strange had soon approached the teenage boy, offered to properly instruct him in the ways of sorcery. Michiru had accepted, and under the tutelage of Stephan Strange, had not only managed to learn a great deal about medicine, enough to qualify him for an actual doctorate which he had obtained online, but had also risen quickly in terms of magical skill and power to the point where he could hold his own against some of the most learned masters of magic.

"Well..." Michiru began, clearly unhappy with being put on the spot. He was as much of a classic Nice Guy as one was bound to meet, and he definitely disliked fighting or when people argued. And as accomplished a sorcerer as he was, his self-confidence wasn't all it should have been in Mari's opinion. "For one thing, the Champions are much more experienced than we are. The Chicago team...I've read up on them, and they're the first team of Champions to be established. They've been at this for a _long_ time, Mari, and they wouldn't have done as well as they have if they didn't know what they were doing."

That may be true, Ax conceded from where he stood a short distance away, fixing Michiru with a stern expression. But they are also acting foolishly. They wish for us to stand down, simply so they can make themselves appear better in the eyes of others. And from what Princess Mari has said, the team they are using, while powerful, has readily exploitable flaws.

"I realize that. It's just..." Michiru frowned, pausing to pick his words. "I'm just not sure that we would really be of any help to them."

"What do you mean by that?" Maria frowned, looking somewhat annoyed by this statement. "Are you saying that we're not good enough to help the Champions?"

"Uh...not exactly," Michiru said by way of explanation, clearly uncomfortable with the way he was inadvertently angering others. "It's just...you saw what happened earlier! Sarge and Panther...some of the arguments we've been having and all the rest of it...and then there are the problems with the Mansion..." Pausing to shake his head somberly, he heaved a deep sigh before explaining, "I really do think that we could help, _if_ we were in a better position. But as it is, we have to worry about the Mansion, and with the way some of us have fighting and arguing..."

As Michiru trailed off helplessly, Al frowned somberly. "He might be right," the alchemist glumly noted. "Besides, the Champions have a lot more resources _and_ members than we do right now. Even if Mari's right and the three Champions they send can't handle it...they could always call for extra help..."

"Al..." Maria frowned somewhat, as if hurt that her significant other would take the other side in this instance.

"I'm sorry, Maria, but...look at us! At the Mansion!" Al replied, even more unhappy about having to confront his lover on this matter. "The whole reason we're even trying to make it look like it's fully operational is to fool everyone into staying away from it, and we _all_ agreed that would be risky and we might not even be able to make it work!" Then he glanced over at Dr. Shikigami and added, "And he's right about the way we've been fighting. And most of the others have only been in the Core Timeline for less than a year..."

"Good point," Glitter chimed in with a glum look on her face. "I'm still getting used to this world, and even I've been here longer than most of the others. And with so much that we still have to do..."

"It's as you said earlier, Mari; revealing the existence of the Mansion before it's completed is our riskiest option. And even if we were able to fool people into thinking that we were fully functional...I'm not so sure that we could _keep_ them fooled long enough to _actually_ complete it." As these points sounded and the mood in the room fell, Michiru gingerly added, "Also - and I'm sorry about this, but...but I'm not entirely sure this is about wanting to help the Champions."

A beat passed as Mari frowned. "Meaning...?"

"You said it yourself earlier; a lot of the team aren't happy about having you leading them. And for a bunch of different reasons," Michiru reminded her. "So...I have to wonder how much of this is about helping the people...and about helping yourself."

At this, Maria scowled and grabbed hold of the crucifix pendant that hung from her neck. "Choose your words carefully, sorcerer," she growled in her Thunderstrike form of speaking, "if you wish to keep your tongue!"

Now it was Michiru who was scowling as he rose up to glare at Maria. "I don't want a fight with you, Maria," he told her in a sterner manner. "But don't threaten me or try to push me around, either. You might not like the result."

Snatching the crucifix from her neck, Maria hefted it up to strike it down upon the ground. But before she could, Mari held up her hand. "Ah! Hold off on the Shock and Awe, Goldilocks!" the Super Soldier instructed her friend. Maria scowled at this, looking sourly at Mari for a moment, before sighing and lowering her crucifix. Leaving Mari to look at Michiru and give a wan smile. "You really think that I'd screw over this team that way, Doc?"

"No...but I _do_ know that you're under a lot of pressure here. Both trying to lead this team and deal with everything that's happening. The same way Commander Saotome is under pressure from her bosses," Michiru gently replied, his features quickly softening. "She and the Champions are trying to repair their image so they can function better. So...I have to wonder...do you want us to deal with this mess because it's the right thing to do...or because you're worried about losing face in front of the rest of the team?"

Several seconds passed as Mari considered the sorcerer standing before her. Then she exhaled softly and smiled tiredly. "I'd be lying my ass off if I said that I hadn't thought about that. Hell, I've done more than think about it; I was pretty damned worried about what would happen if I decided to just let the Champions or someone else handle everything for us. Because I really do want you all to trust me, and...I'm no expert on how to earn trust in the first place," she slowly, softly admitted. "Now you've made some good points. The Mansion's a mess, and so's the team. And under ideal circumstances, I'd rather take the time to hunker down and get everything working the way it should be before we tried to assemble to save the day. Unfortunately, we aren't dealing with ideal circumstances," A beat passed before her smile faded and she added, "So I'm gonna tell you what I told Misato; if the Champions can handle this, I'd be perfectly happy to let them have their fifteen minutes of fame. But if things start going wrong and people start dying, then I want us to be able to assemble. Because I _don't_ want to sit around and watch a bunch of people dying just to cover our collective asses."

Issuing a soft sigh, Michiru then smiled at the Captain. "Okay. That's fair," he finally intoned with a nod. "I can accept that."

"That's good to know," Mari nodded. "But since we're on that subject, Doc...tell me, what do you think about me? Do you have any problems with following a Mari Illustrious Makinami into the heat of battle?"

"To be honest? I'm still getting used to running into different versions of me, my sister, and my friends! As well as running into actual characters I used to watch on TV!" Michiru admitted somewhat sheepishly.

"Now _that_ I can understand," Zuko nodded somewhat grudgingly while the others issued a soft chuckle save for Ax.

When the gentle mirth finally settled down, Michiru sighed once more. "All I can really say is that...I know you've been doing your best to lead us, and that you really want to do the right thing. And you know this world a lot better than I do, or many of the others," he soon admitted. "I also think that you're blunt, headstrong, stubborn, and like getting into fights as much as InuYasha did...does." A slight shadow crossed the magician's face as he visibly thought of friends that had not made the transition from the world of his origin to the Core Timeline. But soon, he shook his head, clearing his thoughts, and added, "I guess what it comes down to is...I don't have a lot to judge your ability to lead on, simply because there hasn't been that much in the way of situations to be led _through._ If that...makes any sense. I mean, we got through the Academy, but..."

"But we haven't seen any hard action yet, so you're withholding your judgment until we do," Mari gathered with a nod. "That about the size of it?"

"Uh...pretty much," Michiru soon nodded. "Though...I will say this; you're a lot better at handling things diplomatically than InuYasha is. For whatever that's worth."

"Well, thanks. I think," Mari replied, rolling her eyes as she considered alternates of the half-demon she had been compared to, who was not known for diplomacy at all. "And thanks for taking care of my booboos, Doc. You have magic fingers." Stifling the urge to laugh as a version of the Sorcerer Supreme blushed slightly, she then asked, "So, do I get a clean bill of health?"

Nodding to this, Michiru went on to say, "Your injuries are fully healed, and your enhanced physiology has already rebuilt itself to be even tougher than before. It won't be as easy to hurt you there the next time." Then he made a sheepish expression before adding, "Not that it was easy to hurt you the first time, that is! I -!"

"I think we get the idea, Doc! No need to stuff your foot in your mouth!" Mari assured him, unable to hold back the laugh this time. As Michiru scratched the back of his head in clear humiliation, the Super Soldier swung about to face the others. "Besides, we've got other problems to deal with right now. And so...your thoughts, people?"

"I'm starting to think that Michiru has the right idea. At least when it comes to how risky trying to make it look like the Mansion's operational," Mana admitted with a scowl. "There's just so much that can go wrong, and not nearly enough time to get everything done! And there's the little problem about how we're running the risk of pissing off the biggest superhero team in Chicago and all of their corporate and political buddies if we go ahead with this, which is always such a _great_ idea!"

There is a great deal that can go wrong if we fail, Ax admitted with a narrowing of his main eyes. However, to not even try to defend those who may be in danger would be the greatest of failures. We _must_ do this!

"I agree with Ax!" Zuko declared, sparks of fire leaping from his powerful crimson form. "Besides, if we back down from the Champions because of this, then all we'll have done is shown them that they can push us around! Mari went to them looking for a way for us to work together, but forcing us to stand down and do nothing simply because they want to look good _isn't_ working together!" Glaring hard at the Super Soldier, his eyes flaring an even deeper, brighter gold, he added, "We let them do this, they will _own_ us!"

"Aye! This is our first dealing with another such organization as an independent team, without the intervention of Avengers Infinity as a whole!" Maria went on, her voice still in Thunderstrike mode. "We must let them know that we will not stand down, simply for their convenience!"

A noise of hesitation was heard at this, prompting several sets of eyes to swing in Michiru's direction. "Mari...if you meant what you said before...about us staying out of the way unless the Champions can't handle it alone...then I'm all for going ahead with this," the sorcerer declared with a slight smile. "I don't care about trying to look good or any of the rest of it, but I _do_ care about making sure people stay safe. And with as many problems as this team has...that's something we _all_ have in common; wanting to help others."

"I meant it. And thanks," Mari nodded in appreciation. With this in mind, she swung her gaze at the others. "Anyone else?"

The remaining few glanced about each other, with Mana issuing a sigh. "Well, we've already gone to work on this completely insane plan. Might as well get it done."

"Right!" Glitter chimed in, having regained her more cheerful mood. "I'll do whatever I can to help!"

"As long as we agree to stay out of this unless they really need us, then I'm okay with doing it this way, too," Al assured the others. "I don't want anyone to be hurt, not if I can help it."

"Alright. Which means we have to make a few adjustments to our original plan of action," Mari declared. "Now, we've already established that the Champions are all good with me being there, as well as two guests. Which means that we have the perfect means for putting some eyes on the scene that nobody will be complaining about. Eyes that will let us keep tabs on the situation and see if the Champions need anybody to bail them out."

"So you want two of us to go to the ceremony?" Al wondered. "To help watch over the Champions?"

"Eh, no. I think that would be a terrible idea," Mari replied, taking everybody by surprise. "If we send anybody to the ceremony as guests, then they're going to be in plain view of everyone, including the gangs, giving them time to come up with something nasty to put them down as well. On top of that, there's a chance that the bad guys will have something in the works to screw up communications, to make sure that they won't be able to call for help."

Now Al frowned, glancing about at the others in confusion before saying, "But - you just said -!"

"I said this would be the perfect opportunity to put some eyes on the scene without the Champions being able to complain about it. I never said that we'd actually send two of you there," Mari quickly explained. "Mana, how's that Decoy Armor you were working on? Is it up and running?"

"Yes. I had it ready before we even -" Mana started, only for her eyes to widen and then narrow again in comprehension. "Oh, I get it...not bad!"

"Thank you. And I want you to get it ready to party hearty on the Fourth!" Mari instructed her. "Now that takes care of one guest. We just need one more."

"And that will have to be me," Maria declared, causing eyes to swing in her direction. "The Champions are all aware that I'm your friend, Mari. They'll be suspicious if I'm not present for this."

"Agreed, but I wasn't planning on sending you," Mari informed her friend. "No offense, but you have a pretty nasty weakness that I'm not betting against the gangs not being able to exploit. And while I've done a pretty damned good job of training you up, I'd like to be able to keep you in the clear and your bag of surprises a secret for as long as possible."

Princess Mari, perhaps I can go in Maria's stead, Ax suggested. I can acquire her DNA and morph...most of her. And if we disguise the Armor of Avalon to look like her own Asgardian armor, I will be able to keep in full view of everyone.

"Sorry, Ax. I thought about it, but there a few problems with that plan," Mari replied earnestly. "First, I'm not sure how effectively we can dress up your armor to look like Goldilocks's suit. Second, Superman Gamma's X-ray vision might be able to see through your armor and pick up the fact that you're an imposter. And third, I've already got a place for you in this operation, and the ceremony isn't it."

As Ax's stalk eyes drooped somewhat, Mari was glad that she didn't even go into the larger problems, like the fact that Ax was still pretty bad at pretending to be a human, given his bad habit of playing with 'mouth sounds', among other things. And even if that didn't give him away, after seeing what happened the last time he had had a human mouth and was near a buffet, she didn't even want to think of the chaos that would ensue if he pulled something like that at the ceremony.

What is your plan for me, then? Ax wondered after a few seconds.

"I want you following me on the way to the ceremony, keeping an eye out for Clayface or any other member of the Joker R gang or Golden Four," Mari instructed him. "The longer this ceremony goes on, the longer both gangs will have to get into position and have everything ready for their big play. Which means we want to find whoever winds up tailing me as fast as possible so I can use my Avengers Emergency Authority to shut this whole thing down as fast as possible. That will force the gangs' hand, making it so that they have to move right away before they're ready. And you're the best-suited for that job. Your thought-speak makes you perfect for contacting me if you spot someone tailing me, and with the number of different animal senses you have at your disposal, I'm sure you have a few that can find a person made of living clay."

I do have numerous morphs I can use, Ax confirmed. But if any of the gangs see me, then they will know I am not a natural creature.

"I know, which is why I would prefer it if you kept the morph small but fast. Or something with decent camouflage. Whatever you can think of that will do the job," Mari instructed her Black Knight. "And don't forget that, even if Clayface sees you, as long as you stay below the skyline and out of Rally's line of fire, the gangs won't be able to do anything about you without blowing their cover. Which means I'll get to sound the alert and blow their plans, anyway."

As Ax visibly considered this and nodded his approval, Maria asked, "But that still leaves me. If you're not going to have Ax impersonate me and I'm not going to go to the ceremony, then what do you have in mind?"

"Not much, except for asking the good Doctor Shikigami if he has something in his book of spells that can help us out here," Mari admitted even as she turned towards the sorcerer. "Now, Doc, I know we're already counting on you for a lot here. But...well, any chance you can help us out with this?"

A beat passed as Michiru gave them a thoughtful frown. "Hmm...yes. I have a few spells that would create a doppelganger of Maria in her Thunderstrike form," he finally admitted. "It won't be as powerful as she is herself, but she will be able to get it to move and act exactly as she would herself."

 _"I'll_ be able to get it to move?!" Maria repeated, her eyes wide with surprise.

"Sorry. I'd do it myself, but...I think you're better suited to acting like...well, you," Michiru explained. "Also, if I wind up having to put on the show Mari asked me to with the Mansion's weapons, then I'll need my full concentration for that. I won't be able to do that _and_ properly animate your double."

A noise of comprehension escaped Maria's mouth at this, right before she asked, "But...how will I even be able to control this...double?"

"It won't be hard," Michiru promptly assured her. "I can show you how, right after the meeting."

"Doc, you're a lifesaver!" Mari declared, glad that the plan was coming together so far. "Now, that just leaves one more thing to take care of. Even with the doubles of Goldilocks and Mana out schmoozing with the crowd, keeping an eye on the guests and the Champions, I'd still like to have someone scoping things out from behind the scenes. Trying to track down the gangs and keeping an eye out for trouble." With that, she turned towards their own version of the Wasp. "And Glit, you're the lucky customer I had in mind for the job!"

"Really?" Glitter replied with a hint of surprise. "Well, okay...though I'm not sure how this makes me lucky. And I'm not buying anything, anyway."

 _Still needs to work on detecting sarcasm and so on, I see,_ Mari thought with a wry smile and a roll of her eyes. "Okay, now here's the thing; I'm sure one or both of the gangs is going to have some nasty surprises set up for this thing. And I want to be able to keep tabs on Stingray's Red Shirt Army. And by that, I mean the armed goons from Stingray Security Services Metahuman Response Division who are going to be hiding out in the two buildings Misato mentioned. We'll need to know if anything happens to them. You know, getting mind-controlled, transformed into horrible monsters, eaten alive...that sort of thing."

"Ewww..." Glitter groaned in dismay. "I'm _really_ not feeling lucky now...!"

"Well, if being an Avenger were easy, anybody could do it," Mana pointed out.

"Very true." But then Mari sobered and admitted, "But...Glit? I know this is potentially dangerous, but you're the best we've got for the job. By shrinking down, you'll be able to blend in with whatever bugs and so on are already there. You should be able to keep out of sight as long as you keep to things like vents and so on." A beat passed before she added, "And the sooner we get some an idea of what exactly Joker R and Goldie have planned for the ceremony, the better our chances of pulling the plug on it."

"Well...okay. Makes sense," Glitter finally admitted. "Though I have to admit that I'm kinda missing the days when the worst thing I had to worry about was the Master Blaster and the Copy Cats! They were really stupid and easy to deal with!"

I believe I understand how you feel. I, too, miss the way things...used to be. Even some of the enemies I fought in the past, Ax admitted in a solemn manner. Visser Three was a brutal and cruel tyrant, the murderer of my brother...but at least he made no effort to hide his evil. A beat passed as the Black Knight scraped one of his hooves against the floor. The worst villains of all are those who pretend to be your friends and allies. Who convince others that they are true and good.

Filing away these words for future reference, Mari heaved a deep breath before declaring, "Well, I think we've done as much as we can for tonight. We'll keep working until 2200 hours, grab some dinner, and then hit the sack - I mean go to bed, Glit!" When the fairy nodded to this, the Super Soldier sighed. "We've got a ton of shit we still need to do, and I don't think any of us is stupid enough to think that Stingray Industries is gonna take what I did to their team lying down!"

"Of course, they won't," Zuko agreed. Right before he gave the Super Soldier a slight smile and added, "But I've got to admit...I'd have paid to see the look on Commander Saotome's face when she saw what you'd done to her prized team."

"Well, I can't show you that. But I _did_ use my battlesuit's scanners to record the fight and what happened after it, so I _can_ show you how she looked when I came out of the training room," Mari informed them. "Which was pretty priceless itself!"

 _"What?!"_ Zuko cried out in surprise, right before a monstrous grin split the crimson titan's face. "Then why didn't you say so sooner?! Hurry up and show it to us!"

"Yeah! Show it!" Mana chimed in even as Maria smiled eagerly. "After everything we've been through today, I could use some entertainment!"

"Okay, okay! I get the idea!" Mari smiled evenly. "JARVIS, load the video capture from my battlesuit for playback."

"Right away, Captain Makinami," JARVIS replied even as a set of holographic windows appeared above the table.

"Oh, this should be good!" Mana grinned deviously. "I bet the Champions would freak if the news were to ever get hold of this!"

"Except...that they aren't going to," Mari announced, pausing to glare at her fellow Avengers. "So don't anybody get any ideas about that! I'm all good with giving the Champions a swift kick in their complacency, but I'm not about to make them look like complete idiots just for shits and giggles!"

* * *

"That damned bitch...!" growled Asuka as she stomped her way down the hallways of Stronghold, her body empowered with the magic of Shazam and a tablet computer in hand. "Does she really think that she can get away with this?! Making us look like _complete idiots?!"_

The day had gotten off to a decent start for Asuka. Some quality snuggling with Submariner R and Super Rei, a good breakfast, and no emergency reports begging for the Champions' attention, all of which had put her in a fairly good mood. A good mood that had promptly disappeared after she read one of the stories in the Stingray Industries Daily Report, leaving her surrounded in a metaphorical fog of fury as she stormed from her quarters and made her way down to the medical center.

Ignoring both her fellow Champions and the other employees of Stingray Industries, Asuka brushed her way through the doors to the medical center proper, disregarding the doctors and the advanced medical technology as she looked about. Only grinding to a halt when she happened upon the three members of her team that she had come searching for.

"So how're you feeling?" the Shinji that was also known as Superman Gamma tentatively asked as he looked at Nadia, the Illinois Submariner, who was still resting in the advanced medical bed. Off to his side was the green-skinned Hikari Horaki that was their Martian Manhunter, who was looking at the bandaged and recovering Atlantean with clear concern. "Doing any better this morning?"

"A little," Nadia grimaced somewhat right before glancing off towards some of the medical staff. "They say my oxygen imbalance is stabilizing, but the rest...Dr. McCoy wants me in here for at least three or four more days."

A beat passed as Shinji and Hikari exchanged glances before the Martian asked, "He... _does_ realize that you're going to be back on duty for the Fourth, right?"

"He knows. He just doesn't like it," Nadia reported with a wry look.

"Most of the time, I don't think he likes _anything,"_ Shinji admitted with a rueful smile. "I can't even remember seeing him smile or -"

 _"Hey!"_ Asuka growled fiercely, drawing the attention of her fellow Champions. "What is the _matter_ with you three?!" she demanded, holding up her tablet even as she approached the bed where Nadia was resting. "How could you do this to us?!"

"Do _what_ to us?" Nadia asked crossly. "And why are you acting like a Sohryu version of Asuka and not a Shikinami?"

Casting a fierce glare at Nadia, Asuka growled in her throat. "Oh, I don't know!" she grumbled even as she held up her tablet to the three of them. "Maybe it has something to do with _this?!"_

"What in the -?!" Nadia got out, clearly shocked even as the Martian took the tablet from Asuka and looked it over carefully. "Hikari, that better not have said what I _think_ it did!"

Casting a sheepish look at their injured friend, Hikari gingerly replied, "I'm...afraid it does."

"'Captain America 3, Champions 0!'?!" Shinji read in mounting shock as he studied the headline of the company newsletter. "'Three Chicago Branch members yield to the mighty shield!'?!"

"It's all over the place! That whole damned fiasco!" Asuka snarled even as Hikari showed Nadia the images the Captain Marvel amalgam had already memorized; a picture of Hikari encased in ice, one of Shinji pummeled, unconscious, and stripped down to his briefs, and a third of Nadia when her attempt to take a certain Captain America amalgam from behind had been completely thwarted when Mari had held up her mighty shield and smashed it into the Submariner's face. Leaving the Atlantean seemingly hovering in mid-air, her arms and legs splayed out to the sides for maximum humiliation.

"Dammit, how could you three do something like this?! How the hell could you even _possibly_ lose to _her,_ of all people!" Asuka furiously demanded as Nadia furrowed her brows at the images Hikari was showing her of her own humiliation. "It was _three against one,_ for _Gott's_ sake! A Kryptonian, a Martian, and an Atlantean, and all you three had to do was take down one lousy little Super Soldier! _Three_ of you, _one_ of her, and somehow, you _still lost?!"_

"Hey, don't you try and pin this on us!" Nadia shot back, clearly angered despite being treated for her oxygen imbalance. "She just tricked her way into winning! In a _real_ battle, we'd have _pulverized_ her!"

"News flash! That _was_ a real battle! And you three got your asses handed to you _on a silver platter!"_ Asuka venomously decreed. Shaking her head in disbelief, Captain Marvel then fixed her angry glare upon Shinji. "I mean...you're a _Kryptonian,_ baka! You're almost as fast as _I_ am! Why didn't you just fly at her at top speed and put her out of our misery before she even knew what happened?!"

"Because I didn't want to hurt her!" Shinji replied with a mild level of heat, clearly unhappy with the way he was being addressed. "I mean...I know she's kinda tough, but...I didn't want to take the chance of really hurting her, that's all!"

"Hel-lo! You were _fighting her!_ You were supposed to _bash her face in!"_ Asuka shot back in angered disbelief. "That's the whole idea!"

"No, it's _not!"_ Shinji fired back with a greater ire. Heaving a deep breath even as he clenched his fists, the Kryptonian shook his head a bit before lowering his eyes. "I...do you even know what it's like to have all this power, every single moment of every single day, Asuka?! You can turn back and forth from a human whenever you want just by saying the word, but people like _me?!_ Do you know what it's like to always be walking around and dealing with ordinary humans?! How _careful_ I have to be at _all times?!"_ A beat passed before he went on to say, "It's bad enough, just trying to deal with ordinary people! But do you know how hard I have to concentrate during a _fight?!_ Even some _metas,_ all it takes is _one mistake,_ and -!"

"Okay, okay! Geez!" Asuka cried out, holding up her hands in protest even as she was giving herself a few swift mental kicks in the rear as she thought of the many difficulties her Rei had had in dealing with such issues. Pausing to heave a deep sigh, the wielder of the power of Shazam gave the Kryptonian a wearied look. "I'm sorry, Shinji, I just...I am just _really_ pissed off about this whole thing! It's not bad enough this piece of shit Super Soldier is getting this great big huge ceremony when we've saved the city I don't even know _how_ many times and barely get a 'thank you' for it! We've also got her marching in here like she _owns_ the place and doing _this!"_ A beat passed as she looked up at the ceiling and grumbled, "I swear, it feels like that Mari was born for the sole purpose of making my life _completely miserable!"_

"I understand how _that_ feels! But Shinji has a point about him having to hold back!" Then Nadia furrowed her brows at Hikari and grumbled, "However, a certain Martian we all know doesn't have that excuse!"

"Wha- _me?!"_ Hikari got out even as Shinji frowned in greater annoyance.

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Shinji demanded.

"Isn't it obvious?! We fell into that bitch's trap because we didn't know what she had planned for us!" Nadia explained, still focusing on Hikari. "But we _could've_ known...if a certain someone had bothered to look into that bitch's mind and find out what she had planned!"

"Now hold on!" Shinji countered, his eyes lighting up with crimson doom as he stared at the Atlantean. "You know how Hikari feels about scanning random minds!"

"I know! But we aren't talking about someone like Joker R or his overgrown girlfriend!" Nadia pointed out in a stern manner. "Besides, Commander Saotome warned us not to underestimate that Mari, that she'd probably have some tricks in store for us! Tricks we would have been able to avoid _if_ Hikari had just looked into her head and found out _what they were!"_

"Nadia -!" Shinji started again.

"I _tried_ to, Nadia!" Hikari bleated, much to the surprise of everyone present.

Three sets of eyes swung towards the Martian, along with a few eyes from orderlies and nurses that were passing by. "Wait, what?" Asuka started, uncertain if she'd heard her friend correctly. "You...you _tried_ to -?"

"Yes, I _tried_ looking into that Mari's mind!" Hikari informed them with a frustrated expression. "Misato - Commander Saotome - she made it clear that we needed to beat her! That we could get her to stand down completely if we just won that fight! So I _tried_ looking into her thoughts, to find out what she had planned!" At this, the momentary burst of anger fueling the Martian sputtered out, leaving her to knot her brows and look down at her toes. "But...I couldn't..."

A beat passed as the three other Champions looked incredulously at their companion, with Nadia putting their incredulity into words. "You...you _couldn't?!"_ the Atlantean sputtered out. "What...what do you mean, you _couldn't?!_ You're a _Martian!_ You're one of the most powerful telepaths on the _planet!_ How could you _not_ be able to crack that Mari's thick skull?!"

Frowning that much more, Hikari sighed as she met Nadia's gaze. And in her mind, the human-Martian hybrid was flashing back to the moment of the battle, when she had turned intangible and had sunk into the ground. Already reaching out with her mind, reaching towards Mari's mind. Already planning to guarantee her team's victory by reading the Super Soldier's every move before she could even pull it off.

Only for Hikari to reach the cusp of Mari's consciousness, and find herself confronted by a manifestation of her mental defenses. By a vision of the mighty shield so immense that it had spanned her view in the gulf between their minds. As utterly unbreakable as the physical shield had been.

"I...I just..." Hikari replied at last, shaking her head in shamed disbelief. "I mean...I _probably_ could have done it _eventually_ , but - that would have taken _time_ and a _lot_ of concentration! Things that I knew I couldn't have afforded, so..."

As the other three digested these words, with Gamma wrapping his powerful arm about the Martian's shoulder in a comforting gesture, the sound of approaching footsteps pricked Asuka's ears, just before a familiar voice sounded, "Hey, everyone!"

"Commander Saotome!" Nadia greeted the alternate of Misato they were most familiar with even as the others turned to face her and smile. "Uh...sorry about...well, you know..."

"Forget about it, Nadia," Misato replied, waving aside the Atlantean's concerns. "That whole thing was my fault, anyway. I should never have tried to settle our differences with Mari through force to begin with. So...I'm really sorry about what happened to you all." Pausing to scan the children under her command, the gamma mutant decided, "Well, Shinji, Hikari...you two don't look any worse for wear."

"Dr. McCoy was able to heal my injuries just as soon as he got me out of cryostasis," Hikari announced as she closed in on her boyfriend.

"I just needed some time in the sun, and I was fine, too," Shinji assured the Commander. "So...you don't have to worry about me."

"You're right, I don't. But I do, anyway," Misato replied with a wan smile. Sighing wearily, the Commander glanced about at them again before saying, "Uh, listen? Shinji, Asuka? I'm sorry, but...I need you to get ready to move out."

"Move out?" Asuka repeated as the others looked at Misato in surprise. "Why, has something happened?"

"No, but it's _going_ to," Misato assured them. "I'm putting together a special team for a _very_ special assignment, and you two are on it."

"What kind of assignment?" Shinji wondered even as Hikari frowned. "Where are we going?"

A few seconds passed as Misato turned a powerful look at Superman Gamma. Before at last she declared, "We're heading to Avengers Mansion."

* * *

 _"Ahhh-hahahahahahaha!"_ roared a gleeful laugh, one that topped the other noises of mirth that were being sounded at the Assembly Hall by all Avengers present. "I don't...this is really for _real?!"_

"About as real as it gets, Sarge," Mari confirmed as she sat back and watched the recording she had taken using her battlesuit during her time at Stronghold the day before.

It was morning after breakfast at Avengers Mansion, and the Avengers assembled there all had a long day of work ahead of them. But before they set to their labors of trying to patch the Mansion together enough so they could make it look fully operational, Mari had decided that it was time to bring them up to speed on just how badly her visit with the Champions had gone. And she felt that she had needed to do more than just tell them; so she had shown them. Every last detail of it. And to an extent, the reactions of the full team mirrored those of the few she had called together the previous night. Including several members enjoying the smackdown being served upon the Champions.

"Damn, that was some great work, kid!" the Sergeant declared with a small hint of admiration as he watched Nadia fall before the power of the Build-Up Armor and Shield Ring attack. "I have to give ya credit! I didn't think you had it in ya!"

"Thanks a bunch, Sergeant Hercules," Mari replied as she glanced in the direction of the powerfully built man in question, who at one time had been a member of the GI Joe team of the world of his origin. Known to his friends and enemies as Sergeant Slaughter, he had been a tough-as-nails drill sergeant and heavy-duty ass-kicker even as an ordinary human. But somehow, during a time travel incident that had sent him to ancient Greece, the Sergeant had somehow been imbued with the legendary power of the demigod known as Hercules. And as a result, he now kicked more ass than ever.

Sergeant Hercules had some elements of the look other alts of Sergeant Slaughter maintained; sunglasses, drill sergeant hat, and a whistle that hung around his neck, as well as lantern jaw and small military mustache. But the power of the gods had buffed him up even more, and now he had muscles coming out of everything, was clad in specially designed Olympian battle armor, and carried with him the Golden Mace that other alternates of Hercules were known to wield, as well as a few military options for combat, like grenades.

"And I have to agree with you; those three were _pathetic!"_ Sergeant Hercules admitted in a grudging manner. "If any of the Joes under my command had blown an operation as bad as they had, I'd have hauled 'em all off to the Slaughterhouse to be completely retrained! And then I'd make them _wish_ I'd just washed them out altogether!"

"Yeah. Great. We're really impressed with your fighting skill," grumbled one of the less impressed members of the team. _"However,_ what that little meeting called for was _diplomacy!_ Which is a skill you seem to be completely lacking in!"

"Arcee's right, you know," sounded the young man next to the previous speaker. "With something like that...there's bound to be fallout on both ends! Both from the Champions _and_ Avengers Infinity!"

Whatever pleasure she was feeling over her accomplishment faded in the wake of these points. "I know that, Jack," Mari admitted with a heavy frown. "But whatever fallout there is, it won't be hitting us alone. Don't forget that Commander Saotome is the one who recommended that we duke it out. No way anyone can ignore that." A beat passed before she added, "Besides, using three Champions with such obvious weaknesses for an assignment like this? _Especially_ one who already has a bad history with Joker R and his gang? I still believe that was a serious mistake and one that we couldn't ignore."

Neither Jack nor Arcee looked convinced, not that Mari was surprised by this. The two of them had been together for a very long time, had been from the same world, and had gone through an event that had very nearly destroyed them, and had changed both of their lives forever.

The Autobots had finally triumphed over the Decepticons of their world. Cybertron had been restored, Megatron had disbanded the Decepticons, Starscream had been put out of their misery, and through their Optimus Prime's ultimate sacrifice, a new generation of Cybertronian life had begun to spring up. But there had still been evil afoot, and a terrible plague had been able to fall upon the restored world.

The Decepticon femme fatale Airachnid descended upon Cybertron, horribly mutated by a combination of Synthetic and Dark Energon into an Energon Vampire, and in her wake came a horde of Insecticons she had drained of Energon, converting them into Energon Vampires as well. The result was a horrendous war, with many of the emerging Cybertronians, remaining Vehicons and Predacons, and even Autobots being drained and turned into Energon Vampires as well.

Mari didn't know the full details, but as she understood it, Jack had been visiting Cybertron at the time and had been captured by Airachnid, prompting Arcee to go forth and confront her arch-nemesis to save him. Their final battle had taken place in Shockwave's new lab, where he and Ratchet had been working to create a new version of the cyber matter that had restored Cybertron. They had made it into an antidote to cure any infected by Airachnid and her forces. During the conflict, both Jack and Arcee had been infected by Airachnid, and the captured human had been sent flying into a vat of the recently created and specially modified cyber matter. Without so much as a second thought, Arcee had thrown herself into the vat as well, desperate and determined not lose yet another partner.

The good news was that, somehow, the immersion in the cyber matter had been effective in saving both Jack and Arcee from the scourge of the Dark/Synthetic Energon mix. However, no one could have anticipated the effect that the cyber matter would have on them. Somehow mutated by the presence of Jack and his human DNA, the cyber matter had transformed him and Arcee into something entirely different, changing them into a perfect blend of Cybertronian and organic life, as well as infusing them with versions of the spider-based abilities Airachnid possessed.

At the moment, both Jack and Arcee looked very much human, courtesy of Pretender technology. But that was not their true forms, not anymore. Transformed by their experience, Jack had taken on the mantle of Spider-Man to help protect those in need. Arcee, unwilling to take on a spider-related name because of her grim rivalry with Airachnid, had opted to take on the name Silk instead.

"Maybe, but we could still be trouble because of this," Arcee protested, looking much like a human woman with a head of dark blue hair. "The Champions are the top hero team in Chicago, with a lot of friends in high places. What's to stop them from calling in a few favors here and there, and having us shut down? Or maybe even have you replaced?"

 _Are you sure that you wouldn't be happy about that last part?_ Mari wondered, knowing full well the main grievance Arcee had against her; after working for an alternate of Optimus Prime, it was hard for the former Autobot to deal with a human girl roughly the age of Jack being in charge of things. Especially since Mari 'reminded Arcee of Miko', whatever that meant.

"If they want to get me replaced, they're welcome to try," Mari decreed in no uncertain terms. "But if they think I'm gonna sit on my dead ass when they're looking at this mess like it's just a big PR opportunity, then they're out of their minds!"

"You got _that_ one right!" Sergeant Hercules declared, giving the table a hearty thump in agreement. "They're supposed to be crushing crooks, not standing around, looking pretty for the paparazzi! And we're not about to stand down, just for their convenience!"

There were several voices raised in agreement, but also some who were none too happy about this situation. But even as the various Avengers began arguing, a mental voice sounded for their attention. Excuse me, Princess Mari, Ax spoke, looking at her with his main eyes while the two stalk eyes scanned the others. I did not want to disturb you until you finished. However...I noticed that Dr. Shikigami and Iron Fist are not present. Is there a reason for this?

"Oh, right. I should've mentioned this sooner, but...yeah. The good Doctor called me earlier, wanted to let me know that he and Danny wouldn't be able to attend the meeting," Mari replied with a grim voice. "Turns out our resident Iron Fist woke up screaming this morning after having a Shrine Nightmare."

"What? He had a prophetic dream?" Maria wondered, not at all happy about this revelation. "What was it about?"

"Not sure. They didn't go into details, though Danny seemed pretty shaken up over the whole thing," Mari admitted. "They're in the Doc's room right now, trying to get some insight on whatever spooked his Shrine Power. However, given our past experience with these things, we know two things for sure."

"That whatever he dreamed about _is_ going to happen," Zuko mused with narrowed eyes. "And it's going to be _very_ bad for us."

Before Mari could say anything to this or the others could do much more than groan in dismay, JARVIS's voice sounded in the Assembly Hall. "Excuse me, Captain Makinami?" the AI began in a diplomatic tone Mari wished she could program herself with. "I'm receiving an urgent message from Captain Rogers of Team 8096/422012."

"Uncle Steve?" Mari grimaced, her insides twisting about.

"Indeed," JARVIS immediately confirmed.

"Well, I'd say that's the shit from yesterday hitting the fan," Mari declared with a roll of her eyes. Then she returned her attention to her fellow Avengers. "Everyone, we know what we have to do, and we don't have much time. So why don't you go ahead and get to work so I can have some privacy while I get my ass chewed off?"

Arcee glared at Mari for a moment before saying, "And if you're no longer calling the shots when he's done chewing you out?"

"Then I'll be sure to give you the happy news before sending myself to my room without supper," Mari returned without missing a beat. "But until we know otherwise, I'm still in charge, and I'm telling you to follow your orders. So go to it already!"

"C'mon, gang! Those weapons aren't going to install themselves!" Sergeant Hercules declared, rising up from his seat even as the other Avengers slowly began to exit the room.

Even as the others filtered their way out the doors, Maria looked at the Super Soldier. "Mari, I...maybe I should stay here with you," the blonde offered her. "I...if the Champions contacted Avengers Infinity, then -!"

"Then whatever happens is on my ass, Goldilocks. And I'm not about to let it hit yours as well," Mari informed her. When the hammer wielder continued to look squarely at her, the Super Soldier went on to say, "Maria, c'mon. Once upon a time, you threw away a chance at getting yourself a new lease on life because you wouldn't leave me behind. You honestly think I'd do anything less for you? Whatever happens here is all on me, and that's that."

Several seconds passed as the two girls studied each other, with Maria finally issuing a heavy sigh. "Whatever happens, whatever orders we've gotten...I don't care about them," the lovely blonde assured Mari. "I will _always_ follow your lead."

"Likewise. Now get going," Mari instructed her. "This is bound to be quite embarrassing for me, and I'd rather not have you see it when I get raked over the coals by _Uncle Steve_ of all people!"

"I understand," Maria nodded with a faint smile. A moment passed between them before the hammer wielder turned and slowly departed the Assembly Hall.

Waiting just long enough to make sure that all of her fellow Avengers had left, Mari sighed and sat back in her seat. "JARVIS, activate white noise screens," she ordered as she braced herself for what as to come. "Whatever happens next, I don't want the walls to be able to listen in on it."

"Understood, Captain Makinami," JARVIS replied in a soft manner. "White noise screens activated."

Nodding to this, Mari heaved a final sigh before resigning herself to the inevitable. "Put Uncle Steve through, JARVIS."

"Very well, Captain Makinami," JARVIS replied. An instant later, a holographic window appeared over the table, bearing the image of the Captain America Mari had taken as her uncle.

Only there was no familial warmth in the expression of Mari's honorary uncle. His expression was hard, businesslike. The face of a man ready to kick some serious butt, something made clear when he opened with, "Greetings, Captain America, Commander of the Avengers' Chicago Branch."

 _I'm screwed,_ Mari thought the instant she heard Steve's stern voice. What she actually said was, "Hi...Captain America of Avengers Team 8096/422012." A beat passed before she added, "I'd hope that you were just checking in on me, but...I know I'm not that lucky."

"Last night, I was contacted by Commander Saotome of the Champions. And she had a few things to say about your behavior at Stronghold while you were there," Steve intoned in a firm, stern manner. "She also sent me raw security footage of everything that happened during your time there." Then he gave a low sigh, a tiny, tired smile quirked the corner of his lip. "Mari, I really do wish that you'd do a better job of practicing _regular_ diplomacy, and not the kind they let you get away with while you were in Asgard."

 _Okay, I'm not_ completely _screwed. Not if he's softened up just like that,_ Mari thought. What she actually said was, "I know, but I _really_ liked Asgardian diplomacy! It was so simple! When someone was being an idiot, I could just say to him or her, 'You're being an idiot!' And when they kept being an idiot, I could just bash them over their heads with my shield until they _stopped_ being idiots!" A beat passed before she added, "You should've seen it. Odin was a big fan of my diplomatic methods."

"I know. Our Thor happened to mention what happened when he took you and Thunderstrike on that trip to Asgard," Steve reminded her. "Just as I know that it's far from uncommon for heroes to come to blows over differing methodologies. I've seen it happen more times than I care to count. But you need to do a better job working with the Champions! Your team is the first group of Avengers to be based in the Chicago area! You need to build working relations with the Champions, not treat them like they're the enemy."

"If you watched the video you mentioned, then you should know that I went there, hoping that we _could_ work with the Champions! Build working relations with them!" Mari promptly protested. "Unfortunately, their idea of working with the Avengers seems to consist mainly of telling us to stay out from underfoot while the Champions hog the camera come the Fourth, no matter the cost!"

"That's not exactly fair, Mari," Steve told her in a stern manner. "You've worked with the Champions in New York. You should know how hard it is for many of them to deal with the contracts they have with Stingray Industries. Most of the time, they accept that as the cost of having Sylia Stingray and her resources backing them up. But other times..."

"I know, I know. I spent a lot of time chatting with Wonder Katara over that one," Mari admitted with a frown. "And...look, I get that Misato - Commander Saotome - she's under a lot of pressure here! I really do get that! And I also understand they get a bum rap for being corporate heroes, and I understand why last year was a serious mess for them, but - dammit, Uncle Steve! Pretty much the entire time we were talking, the topic of conversation was the Champions' _PR situation!_ They even selected the team they're sending to the Fourth of July ceremony specifically to cater to the press! And before you remind me that they're all powerful metas, having hit the jackpot on the Superpower Lottery isn't enough!"

"And I agree with you on that," Steve assured her. "But you have to remember that public relations are an unfortunate necessity of being part of a team, just as being able to work with other teams and organizations, like the Champions or the Foundation. And you can't do what you did yesterday, simply because you're going to have people worrying that you'll _keep_ doing that with every visit. Trashing other members of other teams, one visit at a time."

"Okay, first off, I'd like to remind you that me duking it out with the Champions was _Misato's_ brainstorm. I may have gone along with it, but she was the one who suggested it in the first place," Mari reminded him. "Second...what are my options here? Just go along with what the Champions want? Trust in the system to get the job done? Because in my experience, the system is only as good as the people who make it work. And the instant you get some bottom-feeding parasite in the works who's only interested in working the system for whatever he or she can get their greedy claws on, that's when the system _stops_ working!"

"That is a serious problem, and a danger in any organization," Steve admitted with a slight nod. "But as I said, the Avengers are new to Chicago. The Champions and the other hero teams and groups have established a system that works for them, and that's the system you are going to have to deal with for better or for worse." Giving this a moment to sink in, he went on to add, "Now, if the system doesn't work, then yes, you can work to change it. But you won't get anywhere if you keep acting like the next 'Terror in Hot-Pants'."

"Ah, the District Attorney," Mari smiled fondly. "Wish I could have seen what she was like back in the day."

Clearly not amused by his surrogate niece's attitude, Steve looked squarely at her and said, "When Commander Saotome contacted me last night, she informed me that she had been speaking with Sylia Stingray previously. And Ms. Stingray had made it _very_ clear to her that she wanted you to be given more lessons on the proper etiquette regarding inter-agency cooperation." When Mari made a face as she thought of the course at Avengers Academy such lessons would entail, along with the fact that she had just barely scraped by in that class, Steve went on to say, "She also said that, until you are either properly reigned in or...replaced as leader of your team...Sylia wants you and your team suspended from all duties and confined to the Mansion."

Snorting mildly at this, Mari grumbled, "Then maybe you should just replace me and get it over with..."

"No. That's not an option," Steve assured her, a hint of a fond smile curling at his lip. "I know you too well, Mari. Just as I know you're too damned stubborn _not_ to be in charge. If you weren't in command, then all you'd wind up doing is driving whoever _was_ in charge crazy by doing whatever your heart told you to do."

Mari was unable to argue with this. Instead, she simply sat there for a while, studying her surrogate uncle. Until at last she asked, "Uncle Steve...have you ever met an alternate of Metro Man?"

"Metro Man?" Steve repeated with a slight frown. "Can't say that I have."

"Well, Goldilocks and I did, back when we were running around this crazy world training," Mari explained. "Now...here's the thing. The guy had enough power to give Superman alternates a hard time, but the truth was...he didn't even want to be a hero in the first place. Felt like he'd been...pushed into the role. That he'd spent his life being what everyone else wanted him to be. Like he'd had no choice but to be something he never wanted in the first place." As Steve nodded to this, the younger Super Soldier went on to say, "And then there's Goldilocks. You know about the kind of shows she used to give people. How she used to pretend to be something she wasn't and...well, how well _that_ one worked out." Again, Steve nodded in a thoughtful manner. "So...I guess what I'm saying is...does me being the leader of a team mean that? That I have to pretend to be someone I'm not?"

"You know that's not the case, Mari," Steve promptly assured her. "You've seen enough team leaders with their own style of command to know better than that." But even as the younger shield slinger sighed, the elder Super Soldier went on to say, "What being leader _does_ mean, however, is that you have a greater responsibility. To yourself, to your team, and to those that you protect. Now, I've seen how you do things. And you're great at doing what your _heart_ tells you needs to be done. But you also need to think with your _head_ at least as much as you do with your heart."

"I _tried_ thinking with my head, Uncle Steve! And it got me nowhere!" Mari protested sourly. "You told me that trust is a two-way street! But doesn't that also go with cooperation?"

"Of course, it does," Steve stated with clear certainty. "And it's true that you tried to cooperate from your end, and Commander Saotome didn't return that same cooperation. But at the same time, the way you handled it...that sort of thing simply won't work in a diplomatic situation." A beat passed before he added, "The same way you chose to fight it out with the Champions won't work." Starting at this, Mari opened her mouth to speak, but before she could, Steve went on to say, "I should mention that, when I spoke with Commander Saotome, she made it clear that the team you fought is the team she's still going with for the Fourth of July ceremony."

At this point, Mari's eyes went wide with astonishment. _"What?!"_ she cried out in patent dismay. "You mean after everything I went through to prove that Team Schmooze isn't the right pick for this, she's _still_ going with them?!"

"Exactly. Sylia Stingray made it very clear that that was the team she wanted for this mission," Steve confirmed with a nod. "So while you may have beaten them in a fight, all you managed to accomplish was alienating allies. You angered them, you made them look foolish, and you gave them that much less reason to trust you and the Avengers when you _need_ for them to trust you. So ultimately, you won absolutely nothing...and may have _lost_ a great deal." As Mari issued a heavy groan, the elder Super Soldier looked at her intently. "But let me ask you something; let's say, just for the sake of argument...that you'd _lost_ that battle. That, uh...'Team Schmooze', as you put it, had been able to defeat you, and Misato had ordered you to uphold your end of the bet. Would that have changed your mind? Would you have thought them any less a bad choice for that mission?"

Again, Mari opened her mouth to respond. But even as she considered the situation, her eyes went this way and that, right before she groaned and lowered her eyes to the floor, shaking her head as she did so.

"That's what I thought," Steve nodded solemnly. "Now, you're right about one thing; Commander Saotome _is_ the one who suggested settling matters with a fight, so what happened is as much her fault as yours. But no matter who won, it wouldn't have changed things. It wouldn't have prompted Misato to change how she did things, and I can't imagine you being willing to stand down for her, bet or not."

"Then what _should_ I have done?!" Mari demanded with a mounting sense of frustration. "I tried talking, and that didn't work! I tried fighting, and _that_ didn't work! So what _was_ the right move?!"

"Simple. Because fighting is _also_ a two-way street, you could have avoided the whole thing...just by walking away," Steve explained to her. As Mari's eyes went wide at this suggestion, the elder Super Soldier went on to explain, "I'm sure you recorded everything per Avengers protocol, right?" When the younger shield wielder quickly nodded, Steve smiled and said, "Then that's it. All you would had to have done was leave. Leave Misato's bait untouched. That way, _she's_ the one who would have been solely in the wrong for trying to resolve things with a fight, and you could have used the fact that she was the one refusing to cooperate with the Avengers, and had tried to bait you into fighting against her people, to get the things that _you_ wanted."

Several seconds passed as Mari considered this, and her eyes went wide with astonishment when she realized that Steve was right. All she would have had to have done would be to contact Steve with images of Misato being intransigent and uncooperative, completely determined for the Champions to have their way and ignoring any attempts at negotiation, and there was likely a whole horde of ways they could have used it against her. "Aw, _shitballs...!"_

"You're a great one for fighting, Mari. But there's more than one way to wage a war, let alone win one. And you need to learn there's a time and a place for each method of winning a war," Steve told her. "But at least you now realize what you did wrong here. Now all you have to do is learn from the experience...and not repeat the same mistake."

"Yeah. Great," Mari groaned, wanting little more than to take Thunderstrike's hammer and drive some sense into her thick skull that way. "A fat lot of good that does me now, though..."

"Actually...it may have done you a _lot_ of good," Steve informed her, prompting Mari to look up in surprise. "Like I said, you were far from being the only one at fault in this case. And just like you've acknowledged your role in this...so has someone else."

At these words, Mari furrowed her brows. "What do you mean, Uncle -?" she began, only to start at the sound of her Avengers ID Card beeping for her attention. Practically jumping out of her seat, she fumbled about for a moment before finally managing to retrieve her Card. Pressing the button, she watched as the card came alive with their Wasp looking out at her. "Glit? What's going on?"

"We've got another problem, Mari!" Glitter replied urgently. "Come out to the front yard! Hurry!"

As the signal cut off, Mari groaned heavily as she rose up from her seat. "Aw, fuck! Looks like more shit just hit the fan!" Then she looked over at the holographic window and said, "Sorry, I gotta get going, Uncle Steve! Dammit, this morning is off to just such a _great_ start!"

Mari darted towards the door at full speed. But before she exited the Assembly Hall, she heard Steve saying, "Yes, I think it is."

* * *

Literally flying out the door, Mari came to hover over the front lawn, once again grateful that her Uncle Steve had kept his word to give her flying lessons. But as she hurriedly looked about, she heard Ax's thoughts-speak voice saying, Princess Mari! We have intruders!

But Mari had already taken notice of the medley of scents wafting up to her nose. Looking about, her eyes went wide at what she saw. The entire team of Avengers under her command, save for her two big headaches, was presently in a standoff with Commander Saotome and a number of Champions. "What be your business, Commander Saotome?" Thunderstrike wondered, holding up her hammer in a way that showed she meant business. "Speak quickly!"

Rolling her eyes somewhat, Misato grumbled, "Now I understand why your leader gets frustrated with that act of yours." Pausing to shake her head somewhat, the Commander went on to say, "And speaking of which...where is Mari, anyway?"

"Up here, Commander," Mari replied even as she gently flew down to take up station right in front of her team. Standing squarely in front of the Champions' leader, she stood tall and ready as she asked, "So...I have to admit that this is a surprise. I wasn't expecting guests." A beat passed before she added, "And it seems you brought a lot of them, too."

Misato nodded in acknowledgment even as she glanced back at the team she had assembled. Standing a short distance behind the gamma mutant were Kryptonian versions of Shinji Ikari, Rei Ayanami, and Asuka Langley-Sohryu, also known as Superman Gamma, Super Rei, and Valkyrie. There was Mari's old headache, Captain Marvel Asuka, along with a Submariner version of Ranma Saotome. But the rest of the group was both strange and familiar to Mari at the same time, for while she didn't recognize the individuals, she recognized the people they were amalgamated from. Versions of Ukyo Kuonji and Hikari Horaki dressed in the garbs of Aurora and Northstar, a Toji Suzuhara and a second Misato Katsuragi, both garbed in costumes that marked them as versions of Quicksilver, a Shinji Ikari dressed as Impulse and who was flitting about excitedly, and finally, a woman with yellow eyes and a huge mane of light blue hair that could only have been an alternate of Ryoko, who was dressed in a costume that marked her as an amalgam of the Flash.

Even as Misato glanced back at the crew with her, Captain Marvel Asuka sneered, "So, _this_ is the freak show you're parading around as Earth's Mightiest Heroes?! I don't know if I should laugh or feel sorry for how pathetic they all are!"

"I'd watch that mouth of yours, little girl," Sergeant Hercules growled lowly, driving his fist into his free hand. "Unless you want to find out what the power of a god _really_ looks like!"

"Sarge, stand down," Mari instructed him, not wanting to fall for such obvious bait, not after already being lectured on that subject by Steve. Not bothering to wait and see if the former GI Joe man did as instructed, the Super Soldier focused on Misato. "So...I'm guessing that this isn't a casual visit."

Not bothering to respond to this, Misato instead said, "I take it that you've already talked to Steve."

"I have," Mari quickly confirmed.

"Then you should know that Stingray Industries maintains its position," Misato went on, locking eyes with Mari. "Sylia Stingray wants the Avengers to stand down and remain confined to the Mansion at least until after the Fourth of July. And to let whatever happens on that day be taken care of by the Champions."

"Too bad for your boss that we don't always get what we want in life," Iron Maiden retorted, the electric eyes of her armor glowing dangerously. "So why don't you skip to the part where you tell us why we shouldn't just blast you right out on out of here?"

"Hmph! Like you even _could!"_ the Kryptonian Asuka sneered derisively.

"Valkyrie, let me handle this," Misato tersely instructed her. When the Asuka failed to respond, the Champions Commander returned her focus to Mari. "Now, I'm going to ask you one more time, Mari...are you willing to order your team to stand down as Ms. Stingray wishes? Or are we going to have to resort to more drastic measures to obtain the Avengers' cooperation?"

"I told you once, Commander, and I'll tell you again; the Avengers are not standing down," Mari assured her, arms folded across her chest. "We're willing to wait on emergency standby. If the Champions can take care of things on the Fourth without our help, then fine. You can have your fifteen minutes of fame. But if something goes wrong and people start dying, then we're not going to stand by and watch it happen."

"Hmph. I can't believe you just said something that I agree with," Silk declared with a wry look beneath her mask.

Trying to ignore it as some very ugly looks were exchanged between various members of their respective teams, Misato heaved a deep breath. "Do you really think you and your team can help us?" she asked in a deceptively mild voice. "Look at you all; you have a fraction of the Champions' forces, and your base of operations isn't even complete yet." Pausing to glance at the still unfinished Mansion, Misato went on to say, "Have you even thought about the risks you'll be taking if you reveal yourselves to the people of Chicago with your Mansion the way it is now?"

We have, Black Knight admitted, his hand findings its way to the hilt of his sword even as his tail hovered at the ready. But whatever the risks, we will not let others suffer for our inactions.

A few of the Champions glanced at Ax, but that was as far as people reacted to him. With Misato then asking, "And did you ever consider the possibility that your involvement could make things worse?"

"We did," Red Hulk growled, spurts of flame emerging from his eyes. "But the truth is, _nothing_ can be worse than to just stand by and let evil go unchallenged."

"You can go on about risks and danger all you wish, Commander Saotome," Thunderstrike intoned dangerously. "But we are _Avengers!_ We would not have taken that title if we feared more for our own lives than the lives of those in need!"

"And do you think that _we'd_ be doing what we do if we didn't care?!" their Captain Marvel demanded in frustration. "Just because we were smart enough to make a living off of being heroes doesn't mean we wouldn't be doing it if we didn't want to help!"

"I never said that," Mari assured them with a slight frown, trying to curb the voice within that was already begging for her to let this confrontation take its natural course. The tactical part of her that was already analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of her foes, putting together strategies for their defeat. "And I'm sorry if I ever implied it. But I _do_ think we have to focus on the people in need! Not trying to look good for the press!"

"Look, we get that!" Submariner R assured them, his trident in hand and an understanding expression on his face. While Mari was privately thinking that it was kind of pathetic that an alternate of Ranma Saotome was being the voice of reason in this case, he went on to explain, "But we _do_ have to deal with Stingray Industries and our bosses! That's all there is to it!"

"And right now, Sylia Stingray has made it clear that she wants the Avengers to stand down. By whatever means necessary," Misato declared, her arms folded across her ample chest. "So are you going to cooperate with the Champions...or are we going to have to _force_ you to?"

In her heart, Mari dearly wanted to fight it out. She could already feel the adrenaline rushing through her veins, the song of battle crying out in her heart. She was looking over all her foes, and couldn't even decide which one she wanted to fight first.

But at the same time...

 _Fighting is_ also _a two-way street,_ Uncle Steve's words, so new in her mind, were already ringing out. _You_ _could have avoided the whole thing...just by walking away._

And as these words were again heard in Mari's mind, the strategic aspect of the training she had gone through under Steve's tutelage showed her their wisdom.

In the situation at Stronghold, capitulating with the Champions and standing down for their benefit would have been the wrong move. But as Mari had learned the hard way, her fighting them, even beating them...had also netted her nothing. Both had been losing strategies.

And now, just like that, she was in that position again.

If the Avengers stood down, then Misato would likely want a team of Champions left at the Mansion to make certain that they actually did stand down. Or would use her connections to get a team of Avengers sent to make sure that Mari and her team did nothing but twiddle their thumbs come the Fourth of July.

But if the Avengers fought back...not only did they stand to make themselves the bad guys in this confrontation, but given the sheer level of power represented there, they would very likely inflict considerable damage to the Mansion. Workers would be put in danger, systems that remained vulnerable would be destroyed...

Champions or Avengers. No matter who won...the Avengers still lost.

And as Mari took these things in, a scene from a movie she had seen a long time ago came to her. The words spoken true to her in a way that they had never been before.

"A strange game," Mari eventually said, a small smile on her face as she eyed Misato. "The only winning move is... _not_ to play." With this in mind, she strove to tune out the eager beating of her heart. The adrenaline already rushing through her veins. The eagerness to strike out at her enemies...right before turning her back on them. "The Avengers aren't going to stand down, Commander. That's my final word on that subject."

A beat passed before Misato replied, "You're leaving us with no choice, Mari."

"Oh, you have a choice," Mari retorted. "You can either play by Sylia's rules or turn around and let us do what we have to. _That's_ your choice. But whatever you choose, the Avengers aren't going to play your game." Heaving a deep breath, the Super Soldier looked hard at the mighty heroes under her command and ordered, "Avengers...we've got too much to do to waste our time this way. So let's get back to work."

Not even waiting to see who would listen, if any, Mari started towards the waiting doors of the Mansion. And she had opened one of them right before she heard a mild chuckle sounding. "Well, Captain Marvel, I'd say she passed the test," Misato declared, prompting Mari to look back and see the Commander holding up her hand. "You bet me...what was it, a fifty?"

"A _twenty._ And you _know_ I don't have my wallet in this form!" Captain Marvel grumbled sourly. "And don't act so smug! Her 'Uncle Steve' probably coached her on what to do before she even got out here!"

"She still made the right call," Misato pointed out, still smiling smugly even as Mari and the others looked hard at the Champions.

"Wait a second..." Mari grumbled, not sure if she was hearing this right. "You mean...that was all just a _test?!"_

"One that I put together with your Uncle Steve when we talked with each other," Misato explained as she approached the Super Soldier, a broad smile on her face. "And it's a test that you just passed."

Still not sure if she was hearing this right, Mari then asked, "So...what you said before...?"

"Ms. Stingray is still adamant about wanting the Avengers to stand down for the Fourth of July," Misato quickly explained. But then she gave Mari a tired look before admitting, "But...you were right about one thing. Avengers _or_ Champions, we all have one job to do; to help those in need. And while I can't do anything about Ms. Stingray's orders _officially..._ there _is_ something we can do...under the table."

"Meaning...?" Mari frowned in waiting.

Pausing to heave a deep breath, Misato went on to say, "When you met with me yesterday, you were worried about two major problems. And while I can't help you with one of them...you did mention that one of the reasons you were reluctant to have the Avengers reveal themselves was because your Mansion wasn't finished. And what would happen if the local villains found out how vulnerable it was."

Mari was about to confirm this to be the case...right before she glanced past Misato and stared at the Champions she had brought with her. "Captain Marvel, Kryptonians, speedsters...all of them have _super speed!_ So -!"

"Exactly. So since I know that most of the people you have don't have super speed, I'm willing to bet that this team would be a big help in putting this place together." Giving Mari a soft smile, Misato then went on to say, "We didn't come here to fight or argue with you, Mari. We came here...to help you finish building your home."

"Against our better judgment..." Captain Marvel grumbled even as she stuck her nose up into the air.

"Well...that's great! But..." Wonder Man began, looking worriedly at the Commander, "...won't you get in trouble for helping us?"

"Ms. Stingray ordered me to get the Avengers to stand down, and I've already pursued every legal means of doing so," Misato promptly pointed out. "She never said that the Champions couldn't help you finish the Mansion. Which is _precisely_ what we intend to do..." Then she looked hard at Mari before adding, "But...there _is_ a condition."

Furrowing her brows at this, Mari just looked squarely at Misato and asked, "Which is...?"

"You've proven that you can take a moment to think things out before jumping into a fight you don't need. So I believe that you can be trusted to not order your team into anything that happens on the Fourth of July unless it's absolutely necessary," Misato slowly explained. "But at the same time - and for my own piece of mind - I want one of my people here to stay here at the Mansion, at least until after the Fourth of July is over."

"A member of your team?" Red Hulk repeated in a suspicious tone.

"As a liaison, nothing more. To help us remain coordinated," Misato quickly explained. "Quicksilver M?"

"Yes, Commander!" replied the version of Misato in the garb of Quicksilver, who was smiling broadly even as she suddenly seemed to appear at the Commander's side.

"Mari, this is Quicksilver M. She's the one I want to stay here as a liaison between the Champions and the Avengers," Misato readily explained. "This way, we'll be better able to coordinate the efforts of both teams. And come the Fourth of July...I expect you to treat her word as being final as to whether or not the Avengers can mobilize."

A few seconds passed as Mari considered the two alternates of Misato, before at last declaring, "As long as she doesn't go near any of the restricted areas...then I don't have a problem with that." A beat passed before she added, "However, if people start dying or your team goes down or anything like that happens and she _still_ says we can't help...then the Avengers reserve the right to override their liaison."

Nodding softly to this, Misato smiled and said, "Mari, if anything like that happens...then the Champions will have already failed. And good press will be the _least_ of our worries." Cocking her head to the side, the gamma mutant asked, "So...do we have a deal?"

Pausing just long enough to consider this, looking for any problems, any ways that this could go wrong, Mari then looked off towards Thunderstrike. "Goldilocks, go find Mr. Evans. Tell him to report to the Assembly Hall immediately." Even as the Norse warrior nodded and took to the air, Mari explained, "Mr. Evans is the foreman of the construction crew we have working here. He's best suited to help us assign which of your team to what duty."

"Sounds good," Misato smiled softly. "Uh...just so we're sure...you won't get into trouble for this, will you?"

Making a face at this, Mari replied, "Uh, this _is_ me we're talking about here. What makes you think I'm ever _out_ of trouble?"

A beat passed before Misato returned, "Good point."

Snickering at this, Mari then turned towards her team. "Well, Avengers, it looks like we're scrapping some of our old plans after all...for some an even _better_ one! So report to the Assembly Hall for duty assignments!"

* * *

Author's Notes: Here's Chapter 4! Please, feel free to read and review!

Now, I'm sure some people are bound to be upset about how Mari so thoroughly trouncing the Champions in the previous chapter, but there is a method to my madness. For she needed to learn a valuable lesson; that sometimes, the best way to win a fight is not to fight it in the first place.


	5. Ill Omens

Disclaimer: I do not own Evangelion, any of the characters or concepts depicted here, or anything associated with them. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Rise of the Extraordinary Avengers

Chapter 5: Ill Omens

 _"This_ is where the Avengers meet?!" the amalgam of Shinji Ikari and Impulse demanded as he took in the massive space that was the Mansion's Assembly Hall. Taking in the various terminals and the round table emblazoned with the Avengers' logo, as well as the holographic projection of some of the Mansion's schematics that presently hovered in the air before them. "I don't believe this place! It feels more like the inside of a _TARDIS_ than a superhero base!"

 _I know how you feel,_ Misato Saotome couldn't help but think as she listened to the other Champions murmuring amongst themselves as the team she had brought to help finish construction of Chicago's own Avenger's Mansion were meeting with the Avengers in residence. _I felt the same way when I got my very first taste of Avengers-style back at the Infinite Avengers Tower!_

There was no doubt that the Champions' Chicago base Stronghold was a comfortable place to live and work, but at the same time, there was no getting around the fact that it had been built for functionality above all else. Where the Avengers' Assembly Hall was a technological masterpiece, Stronghold's conference room was...a very large white room. No decorations, no fancy amenities, nothing but some holographic projectors and the largest oak table in all of Illinois, with enough space to seat the entire roster of the Chicago Champions. And the way the rest of the Mansion compared...

"Have you seen some of the decor for this place?!" Hikari/Northstar breathed in low awe, focused on her counterpart, Ukyo/Aurora. "It's so ornate! It's like an _actual mansion!"_

"What did you expect?! It _is_ an actual mansion!" Ukyo reminded her with a touch of annoyance.

"You know what I mean!" Hikari tried again, now a bit annoyed herself. "And then there's the outside! All the statues, the fountains, the gardens...this place is _gorgeous!"_

"I know! And then there's the carpeting...and _the chandeliers!"_ Asuka/Valkyrie chimed in with an awed expression. "They're made with _genuine diamonds!"_

 _"What?!"_ Toji/Quicksilver blurted just barely beneath his breath, his eyes rounded with amazement. "Just what the hell did these _amateurs_ do to warrant a place like _this?!"_

 _Oh, boy. I get the feeling there are going to be plenty of people complaining about all the kinds of things that are_ not _in our budget after this outing!_ Misato groaned inwardly. _I wonder if there's any chance that we could get the Avengers to help remodel Stronghold when this is over...?_

Making a mental note to ask about that later, Misato returned her attention towards the discussion that was in the offing between Mari and Mr. Evans, the foreman in charge. And to say that the foreman did not look happy was a gross understatement.

"Do you have any idea what you're asking me to do?!" Mr. Evans demanded of Mari, who was standing there looking very much bored and just wanting to get this meeting over with already. "It's bad enough that you'd already put my people to work, trying to get the weapons mounted in place without the proper installation protocol, but now you not only want to scrap those plans, but you _also_ want for us to work with people that haven't been properly vetted by headquarters?!"

"Sorry, but at that time, we hadn't been expecting the Champions to lend a helping hand," Mari reminded him with a touch of impatience. "And in case you've forgotten, each of the Champions' IDs and Hero Ratings has been confirmed. Each and every last one of them has excellent ratings according to information compiled by the Superhuman Oversight and Relations Committee. So...I'm not seeing the problem here!"

"The problem is _classified technology!"_ Mr. Evans heatedly replied. "There's a great deal of technology here that no one in the Champions is cleared to even go anywhere near!" A beat passed before he leaned in closer to Mari and growled deep in his throat, "Do you even know what happened the _last_ time Stingray Industries got hold of Avengers tech?!"

As Mari considered the foreman, she hesitated before replying, "Uh...I'm guessing it wasn't just to give themselves nice ID Cards like we have."

"No! They used it to build a nanotech-based weapon that wound up falling into _Hydra's_ hands!" Mr. Evans declared, shooting Misato a vehement look. _"Thousands_ of people _died_ before Avengers Infinity put an end to that mess! And might I add that they died in excruciating pain as every cell in their bodies were quite literally _ripped apart and eaten alive!"_

 _"What?!"_ Al cried out in clear dismay even as other members made noises of low horror. "Is that - that really happened?!"

"It's a newsflash to me as well!" Mari announced, scowling in clear displeasure as she shot Misato a glare, who was already groaning in dismay. "Now, to be clear, Commander, I'm not putting this one on your head, but...would you mind sharing with the rest of the class whatever it is you know about this?"

Wincing as she recalled the incident in question, Misato heaved a deep sigh before explaining, "Stingray Industries did... _acquire_ some nanotech from the Avengers, yes. And they _did_ use it to create a nanotech-based weapon. But it was supposed to be _nonlethal!"_ Giving this a moment to sink in, she proceeded to explain, "Ms. Stingray wanted to create a widespread power-nullifying gas that we could deploy in the event of riots and other high-risk situations. Something that would be too dangerous to try with the toxin made from the Pariah Gene. And...given Stark's experiments with similar technology, she felt that we could...adapt the nanites to do the job." A beat passed before she frowned and added, "However, the experiments...didn't go the way they should have. The nanite cloud turned out to be incredibly lethal, and when Stingray Industries attempted to dispose of the altered nanites -"

"Hydra managed to get hold of them instead. Of course," Zuko muttered lowly, his eyes flaring a brighter gold. "So tell me something; how much did Hydra pay for those nanites you 'failed to dispose of'?"

 _Aw, geez!_ Misato thought as these words fell upon her team like the proverbial ton of bricks. _What is wrong with this jerk?!_

Already, the Champions were raising their voices in outrage, but before that outrage could get very far, Misato immediately transformed to confront her team, her clothing reforming via nanotech into a red sling bikini, while Mari went up to the alternate of Zuko. "Nice work, jerk!" she grumbled sourly. "And people complain about _my_ diplomatic skills?!"

"Alright, _that's enough!"_ Misato roared with enough force to knock her team back a few steps. Pausing to stare them all down, something made much easier when you were roughly eight feet of gamma-powered muscle, she then went on to say, "Now, I can't blame Zuko for at least being suspicious about that. The fact that a weapon like that would fall into Hydra's hands _is_ suspect to say the least." Then she turned about to face the firebender and declared, _"However,_ it was _Hydra_ who used it as a lethal weapon, not Stingray Industries! And in any event, it didn't happen in Chicago, and no member of my team had anything to do with any of it."

"And it's not like the Avengers haven't had problems with warehouse inventories disappearing, just because some cash changed hands. Unless you think those nanites crawled their way into a Stingray Industries lab on their own," Sergeant Hercules grudgingly acknowledged. "Besides, no security is ever perfect. Hell, even back in my world, Cobra had some pretty sneaky ways of crawling into your sleeping bag before you even realized what'd bit ya." Then the former GI Joe member shot Zuko a glare before adding, "So unless you have evidence to bring against the Champions or Stingray Industries, I'd strongly suggest that you keep those accusations of yours to yourself, Prince!"

"Our Slaughterin' Sarge has got the right idea! We're off to enough of a bad start as it is without making things that much worse!" Mari chimed in with a nod. "But Mr. Evans also has a valid point. We _do_ need to keep security in mind." A beat passed before she added, "However, even our best estimates indicate that, with just the manpower and the equipment we have right now, we're looking at a _month's_ work at least before the Mansion is complete. And the last time I checked, the Fourth of July is a _lot_ less than a month away!"

"How about we just have the Champions working in the non-restricted areas?" Mana inquired, her armor's faceplates up and revealing her eager face. "All the base systems are already in place, and if we have all of the Avengers here working, we can finish whatever's left to do in the restricted areas fast enough."

"Aye, that seems a reasonable idea," Maria nodded, presently garbed with the armor and muscles of Thunderstrike. "What do you think, Mr. Evans?"

The frown that marked his face at this made it clear that he was not entirely pleased, something driven home when he added, "I don't like it, but...I have to admit it. I don't see any other way we're going to get this mess of a Mansion anywhere close to complete by the Fourth." Then he scowled and added, "But keep in mind that, without replacements for all of the components that we lost thanks to the Disaster Squad and the Black Scars gang, there's absolutely no way we can fully complete the Mansion. So you're going to have to make do with some bypassed circuitry and using the _American Dream_ and Tai to control the weapons and whatever."

"Just as long as we have a functional Mansion that can kick ass, I'm sure we'll all be perfectly satisfied to make due until we get some new parts in," Mari assured him. "So get to work and assign the Champions to...whatever jobs you think they'd be best suited for. Time's not waiting for us, so we don't have time to sit around and twiddle our thumbs."

Nodding to this, Mr. Evans went to work, bringing up holographic representations of the sections of the Mansion that were still incomplete. Which made for a heck of a lot of Mansion, Misato noted. As he did so, Mana was shaking her head sourly. "If only that nano-control module for my lab hadn't been wrecked by the Disaster Squad as well! Then we'd be able to use the nanotech baths to build pretty much any part we'd need!"

There's no point in dwelling upon what cannot be changed, Ax reminded her, pausing to run one of his hands upon his armor. We must do what we can. And that is all we can do.

Even as Mana nodded, Valkyrie was studying the Black Knight, right before her eyes lit up. "Hey, wait a second!" As Ax turned his stalk eyes towards the Kryptonian who was now approaching. "You're an Andalite, right?"

A beat passed before Ax lowered his eyes and his tail. I _was_ an Andalite, yes, he slowly replied. What of it?

"The way I heard it, you have some kind of technology like the Omnitrix that would let you turn into another species," Valkyrie went on. "So why don't you scan my DNA or whatever it is you do and _become_ a Kryptonian? That way, you'd be able to help us out even more!"

Several uncomfortable seconds passed before Ax shook his head in response. I appreciate your offer, but I'm afraid that this would not work, he slowly admitted. Although I could _acquire_ your DNA, the curse of Merlin makes it impossible for me to fully morph any one species. I would only be able to morph _sections_ of my body into a Kryptonian form. If I were to do that, the sections of my body that were _not_ Kryptonian would not be able to survive the excessive speeds and duress that utilizing the Kryptonian portions would entail. A beat passed before he added, Unless I were to acquire a species with similar durability, such as a Daxamite or a Martian, I could not assume a composite form suitable to work at the speeds necessary for this endeavor.

"Really?!" declared the other Asuka present, the one with the powers granted by the wizard Shazam. "Wow, it must _suck_ to be _you!"_

While Misato was wincing at this and Mari was directing a scathing look at Captain Marvel, Ax's stalk eyes and tail drooped that much more. Yes, he finally admitted, his thought-speak voice low and despondent. It does...

"Captain Marvel, watch it! We're here to _work_ with the Avengers, not make cheap shots at their expense!" Misato declared with a note of ire. "Now, Captain America has already briefed us on the surveillance strategies and preparations the Avengers have planned for the Fourth. So for now, I'm heading back to Stronghold. Captain Marvel, I'm leaving you in command of things here. You and your team are to stay here as long as it takes to get the Mansion fully operational, or at least as operational as possible with the resources available."

"Fine, if you say so," Asuka/Marvel replied with a casual shrug. "Though I don't see why you're bothering! With all the speed we've brought here, we'll have this dump finished just as soon as the foreman hands out our assignments!"

The other Champions issued noises of agreement to this, to which Misato just smiled. They honestly had no idea what they were in for here. "Then maybe I'll take a quick tour of the facilities before I head back."

"Or maybe you could come with me," Mari interjected. "Thing is, when you and your crew showed up, our Sorcerer Supreme in residence was working on something. And I think it might be something you'd be interested in hearing about."

"Really?" Misato wondered with a raised eyebrow. "Well, alright then. I don't have a problem with that."

As Mari nodded, another voice was raised. "Say, Captain America?" came the voice of Submariner R, a Ranma with the powers of an Atlantean mutant with the winged ankles and pointed ears. "I hope you don't mind but...once you're done with this Sorcerer and the Commander...you got anything planned?"

"Aside from working on putting this Mansion together? Nothing, really," Mari replied, eyeing the well-muscled Atlantean curiously. "Why do you ask?"

"It's about why I decided to come along here," Ranma quickly explained. "See, I saw what you did in that fight with Nadia and the others. Now before you get any wrong ideas, I'm not looking for payback or anything stupid like that. But...well, the truth is, it's been a while since I've had a chance to spar against any hardcore martial artists. I mean, most of the creeps we fight are either your basic street brawlers or jerks who depend on their powers to do their fighting for them. So when I saw what you could do, I was kinda hoping to get a chance to practice against you."

"Oooh, now _there's_ a tempting offer!" Mari admitted, her smile broadening even as Captain Marvel scowled. "Though I _am_ a bit surprised. Most people just chalk up what I can do to my copy ability. Treat my skills as Xeroxed copies of the originals with some smudges."

"Oh, no. I could tell that you're the real deal," Ranma promptly assured her. "I've seen people who rely on things like the Sharingan Eye and other tricks to copy moves. Their moves are always disjointed, taken directly from the originals. They never flow the way they should." Then he gave her a broad smile before adding, "But you...your moves, they all flowed together like they were all just one move! So I can tell that you've done some serious practicing and training to get as good as you are!"

Mari's eyes went wide at this, right before she broke into a Cheshire Cat grin. "Aw, damn! I can't tell you how nice it is to hear someone speaking about me as something other than 'Mari See, Mari Do'!" she declared even as Ranma approached her. "People think it's so simple! Just look and repeat! But they don't even think about how I have to take shit like body structure differences and varying power levels and more into account when I'm mastering a move!"

"Hey, I hear you!" Ranma assured her. "And then there's chi moves, and...!"

As Mari and Ranma settled into an easy conversation regarding the martial arts, Misato took note of Captain Marvel's face swelling up with annoyance. "Relax, Asuka," the Commander whispered even as she moved behind the wielder of the power of Shazam. _"This_ is why I asked Ranma here in the first place!" When Asuka jerked in surprise, turning to look at Misato in perplexity, she went on to add, "Considering how well you and Mari _didn't_ work together the last time, I felt that it would be a good idea to keep you two out of each other's faces as much as possible!"

"Actually, that would be a great idea," Mari broke in, startling the both of them. "And didn't I already mention that you really shouldn't bother whispering when I'm around?" As Asuka glowered at the Super Soldier and Misato was groaning in dismay, Mari shrugged and grinned at Ranma. "Still, I know what you're saying! With all the crap on my plate, I haven't had a really good spar since we left the Infinite Avengers Tower!"

"Not counting _yesterday,_ of course," Captain Marvel gritted, staring daggers at Mari.

Mari looked like she was about to say something, only to visibly think otherwise before returning her focus to Ranma. "And to be honest...the less of Asuka Marvel in my face, the better! And I'm sure she feels the same way about me!"

"I'd say you're right," Ranma nodded. "So, how about I go with you to see your magician, and once we're done there, we can head down to wherever you train and get to it?"

"If you see this magician first, then there won't be a point in sparring with her," Captain Marvel declared with her hands on her hips. "Because we'll have this place done before you're done talking to him!" A beat passed as Mari blinked at Asuka, right before smiling and looking her square in the face. "What the hell are you grinning about _now,_ four-eyes?!"

"Oh, nothing! I was just capturing your image for posterity. A 'Before' image to go with the 'After' shot I'm taking when the Mansion's finally complete." When Asuka scowled in confusion, Mari just smirked and added, "Oh, don't you worry about it! Right now...we're off to see the wizard!"

* * *

"This place is incredible..." the Submariner version of Ranma Saotome couldn't help but say as Mari led him and Commander Saotome through the Mansion. The Commander was again in human form, her clothes back to normal, but Ranma wasn't paying attention to her. All he could focus on was the incredible interiors of the Avengers Mansion. "Marble floors and staircases, diamond chandeliers...and you've even got portraits of everyone on your team!"

Taking note of the way Ranma was studying the image of Thunderstrike with her hammer raised, Mari shrugged. "Yeah. It's kind of an Avengers tradition," she admitted with a slight smile. "All the Mansions do the same. And the Infinite Avengers Tower has a portrait of every single member of Avengers Infinity lining the walls."

"It's sure a lot fancier than Stronghold is," Misato hesitantly admitted. "But what are we doing here, Mari? What's this Dr. Shikigami working on that's so important?"

"Well, I'd tell you, but...I think he'd do a better job of it," Mari admitted even as she approached a door marked with a mystical pentagram. "And on that note...let us enter the world of Dr. Shikigami!" With that, she reached out to knock on the door...only for the door to open on its own behest.

"Come in," came a polite, youthful voice, one that sounded far too young to belong to someone who bore the name of Sorcerer Supreme.

"Don't mind if I do, Doc," Mari replied before sauntering inside. As for Ranma and Misato, the two exchanged a look before following Mari inside.

The interior of the apartment maintained by Dr. Shikigami was of a different aesthetic than the hallways of the Mansion, seeming to be based on a traditional Japanese home, though with some mystical oddities thrown in here and there. At the moment, the Michiru Kururugi that bore the mantle of Sorcerer Supreme from his world was clad in relatively little, save for his loose-fitting pants, revealing a body that was very much the opposite of the Squishy Wizard.

"Whoa, Doc! I didn't realize you were that buff!" Mari grinned with clear surprise even as the wizard levitated in mid-air, his legs folded in the lotus position even as he worked to assemble a floating house of cards. "You must hit the gym when I'm not there!"

Offering Mari a shy smile, Michiru replied, "I...like my privacy when possible, Mari. At least when I'm exercising and so on." A beat passed before he added, "I'm...sorry for not being properly dressed, but...when Danny showed up this morning..."

"Uh, yeah. Sorry about that one, Mitch," sounded someone nearby, who was also seated in the lotus position. As Ranma looked about, he saw a young man of about his age clad in a tight-fitting crimson uniform similar to that of an Iron Fist alternate. However, instead of the traditional yellow mask wielders of that power wore, he wore a white headband with a flower-like pattern upon it. And while he had the mark of the dragon upon his well-muscled chest, there was a second mark superimposed upon it, an image like a Japanese shrine. "But...well, this Shrine Nightmare was like a perfect ten on the Richter Scale of bad dreams!"

"Shrine Nightmare?" Misato repeated with a frown.

"Uh, yeah. I think some preliminary explanations might be in order," Mari noted. "Commander Saotome, Submariner R, allow me to introduce you to Michiru Kururugi, aka Dr. Shikigami, and Daniel Larusso, aka Iron Fist."

"Hi!" Daniel replied, smiling politely at the both of them, despite looking somewhat worn. "Nice to meet you both!"

"Pleased to meet you as well," Misato assured him while Ranma nodded. "So what's this about a...Shrine Nightmare?"

"It has to do with how I wound up with the power of the Iron Fist in the first place...among other things," Daniel replied with a tone that made it clear that his origin had not been particularly pleasant. "See, back before I arrived in Coreline, I had been practicing karate under my friend, Mr. Miyagi. Then one day, when we were in Japan, someone stole the Shrine from our friend Taki's home."

"Whoa, whoa! Wait a second!" Ranma protested, his mind bulking for a moment. "Somebody _stole a Shrine?!"_

"A small shrine. A statuette with considerable magical power that was housed in a larger shrine," Michiru explained as he continued to focus on building his house of cards. "And it had many different powers; it could grant visions of the future, transform a lake into a Fountain of Youth, heal lethal injuries, cause physical transformations -"

"Okay, okay! I think we get the idea!" Ranma broke in, holding up his hands in protest.

"Well, I can definitely see why someone would want to get their hands on something like _that!"_ Misato declared with a raised eyebrow.

"So could we! So me, Mr. Miyagi, and Taki chased after the thief! And before we knew it, we were pretty much traveling the entire world, trying to get the Shrine back!" Daniel ruefully explained. "Anyway, one day, we were following this latest sneak thief through the mountains near K'un-Lun. Only we didn't know about that part, and I'm guessing the thief didn't, either. Now, we figured that he didn't know about the Shrine's powers, or he would've used them on us. So when he happened upon this cave, he probably figured it would be a good place to ditch us."

"A cave? Near K'un-Lun?!" Misato wondered, having already reached the same conclusion as Ranma. "Aw, geez!"

"You guessed it. The jerk had just found the home of Shou-Lao, the Undying," Daniel grimaced in recollection. "Too bad he didn't know about the dragon. Too bad _we_ didn't know about him, either, because we went right in after the thief...just in time to hear him screaming his lungs out!"

Grimacing as he exchanged glances with Misato, Ranma asked, "So...I'm guessing that he wound up inspecting the inside of Shou-Lao's stomach, huh?"

"Yeah! Him _and_ the Shrine!" Daniel grimly reported. "And when the three of us caught up with him, it looked like we were going to be dessert!"

"So what happened?" Misato wondered. "It's obvious that you made it out of there, but what about your friends?"

"Well, it looked pretty bad! We did everything we could to get out of there, but the dragon wasn't giving us so much as a break! And before I knew it, he had Mr. Miyagi and Taki cornered!" Daniel explained with a grim look. "I...I didn't know what else to do! So I charged in at the thing, wrapped my arms around it where this weird scar was, and held on, trying to give them a chance to escape!"

"Luckily, the point where Danny had grabbed on was Shou-Lao's only weak spot. For that's where the dragon absorbed the mystical energies that kept him alive. So by covering it with his body, Danny effectively starved the dragon. Or...suffocated it." Michiru explained, setting another card in place. "And because Shou-Loa had swallowed the Shrine, Danny also gained the power of the Iron Fist without having to put his hands in the brazier holding the dragon's heart."

"Unfortunately, that's not _all_ I got!" Daniel chimed in with a scowl. "I'd passed out from the heat from the dragon, and when I came to, we were in K'un-Lun! Turns out that, since the dragon had swallowed the Shrine, I'd absorbed _it's_ power as well! I'd become like a _living Shrine!"_

"Whoa!" Ranma noted with some surprise. "Did you ever get the Shrine out of the dragon?"

"Yeah, eventually. But that's when my _real_ problems began!" Daniel mournfully admitted. "See, not only were the Shrine's powers drained, but I had no idea how to use them now that they were in _my_ body! Heck, I didn't have the slightest idea how to make the Iron Fist thing work, either!"

"Fortunately, the priests of K'un-Lun were able to regenerate the Shrine's powers, so they could take it back where it belonged," Michiru added even as he placed another card. "But...Danny still had its power inside of him as well. Along with the Iron Fist. And since he had no idea how to use either of them..."

"I...I was a danger to everyone! To everything around me!" Daniel mournfully declared. "The Shrine Power...it just kept flaring up! People would turn into chickens, a building would collapse, and worse! And I had no idea what to do about it, so..." Heaving a deep sigh, he lowered his eyes and admitted, "So when Mr. Miyagi and Taki left to take the Shrine back to Japan...I had to stay behind in K'un-Lun. To train as the next Iron Fist _and_ figure out this whole Shrine Power thing." Pressing his lips together, his eyes tearing somewhat, he added, "That...that was the last time I ever saw them. My training, it wasn't even complete when I got pulled into this whacked-out world called Coreline..."

"Lucky for us, we had a few Iron Fists around who were able to help Danny master his Iron Fist power," Mari explained. "And it never hurts to have a Sorcerer Supreme around to help out with the Shrine's hocus pocus inside of him."

"Which, I'm assuming, brings us to why we're here," Misato gathered. "So what's this about a... Shrine Nightmare?"

"Oh, yeah! Well, like Mitch said, the Shrine could provide visions of the future. So when something bad is about to happen, the Shrine Power in me does the same." Then Daniel added, "By giving me nightmares that _nobody_ should have to have! Nightmares that I _know_ are going to come true!"

"They're prophetic dreams. Warnings of a _possible_ future," Michiru explained as he continued to build his house of cards. "A future that _can_ be changed...if we can figure out what the dreams mean."

Not liking the sound of this in the least, Ranma asked, "So...what was this dream all about?"

A pensive expression on his face, Daniel heaved a deep breath before beginning. "Well...at first, all I see are people, and things _look_ normal enough at first! But...then they start laughing," he carefully began, a shadow of concern darkening his features. "It's just a few at first, but then more and more...they just keep laughing! Then they start attacking each other, trying to kill and destroy everything in sight! Then right before my eyes...they start turning into _Jokers!"_ As the Atlantean shuddered at the unspoken madness in the images Daniel's words conjured, Iron Fist continued with, "Then I see three of the Champions. You know, the ones Mari told me Commander Saotome was sending?" When Misato nodded to this, Daniel went on to say, "And they had already turned into Jokers as well! Then I see us, the Avengers, we're fighting the Jokers, fighting a bunch of monsters, and...well, I can tell that they're speaking, but I can't hear what they're saying! All I can hear is the Jokers laughing! And it just keeps getting louder and louder, until..."

The hairs on the back of his neck going up at the way Daniel trailed off, and it was clear Misato was equally discomforted. "And then what?!"

Gulping loudly, Daniel looked at them with haunted eyes. "Then...I see him. Joker R. He's laughing the loudest of them all. But then...he just stops. Suddenly, he's looking scared. And I mean _really_ scared! He starts screaming, and then...I see something else. Some kind of...energy waves washing over the city, destroying everyone and everything it hits." Giving a slight shudder at this, the martial artist looked over at Michiru. "Well, you know that, after seeing something like this, Mitch is the first guy I'd go to!"

"Doc's had plenty of luck with getting us some extra insight into Danny's Shrine Nightmares," Mari explained. "Help Avengers Infinity figure out how to keep the bad future from becoming a bad _reality!"_

Pausing to glance over at the floating magician, Ranma asked, "And he does that by...playing with cards?"

"My mentor, Dr. Strange, taught me this method of divination. And it works really well in trying to make sense of Danny's Shrine Visions," Michiru explained as he lowered another card into place. "It's never precise, but we generally get enough information to -"

The house of cards exploded.

Jumping back in surprise, Ranma watched as the many cards flew haphazardly about, the house of cards Michiru had been constructing having completely flown apart the instant he had placed that last card. "Yikes!" the Submariner declared as he and Misato watched the cards slowly settle. "Looks like you put on one card too many!"

"That was going to happen sooner or later, anyway," Michiru assured them, mostly unruffled by his house of card's collapse. Gesturing at the cards, he summoned one of them to his hand. "Now, let's see which card caused the...oh, no..."

Watching as Michiru's face sagged in horror, Ranma felt his lurching. And it was clear that Mari was similarly unhappy. "Uh, Doc? Not only does 'Oh, no' give me a bad feeling, but it _doesn't_ tell me shit about what the problem is!" the Super Soldier declared. "Care to fill us in?!"

"This card...it's Death," Michiru grimly intoned, revealing what had to be a tarot card. It featured a shrouded figure with a scythe enveloping what looked like the planet Earth. "And it's showing the entire planet..."

"It is?!" Daniel cried out in dismay.

As Misato studied the sorcerer, she groaned in patent dismay. _"Please_ don't tell me that means what I think it means..."

"I'm sorry, but...unless you think this means that we're faced with something that could destroy the entire planet...then I'm gonna have to tell you that that's what this means!" Michiru declared with considerable reluctance.

"Wait - are you for real?!" Ranma demanded, his eyes wide with disbelieving concern. "But - that doesn't make sense! Why the hell would Joker R want to _blow up the planet_ when he happens to be one of the idiots who _lives in it?!"_

"I don't understand it either, but...we still haven't learned everything we can," Michiru grimly replied even as he summoned forth more of the fallen cards. "Now, let's see...hmm..."

"What is it?" Misato wondered as one of the cards turned about in mid-air, only for her eyes to pop open in surprise at an image of herself with her gamma-powered self in the background. "Why - that's _me!"_

"Yes, your role in this is embodied by the Hermit Card," Michiru said by way of explanation. "Traditionally, the Hermit refers to someone going it alone. Listening to your own counsel."

"Sounds about right," Ranma noted. "But...why's it upside down?"

"Well, the fact that the card is reversed seems to indicate that Commander Saotome has or is going to make a mistake. A bad one," Michiru explained even as he looked at another card. "Hmm...the Hierophant," he noted, causing it to turn around and reveal the card with his own image. "This card represents good advice and following the rules."

"That's you to a tee, Doc!" Mari declared with a smirk. "Because your advice is generally golden, and you _love_ playing by the rules!"

"Yes, _almost_ as much as you love _breaking_ them," Michiru snarked with a tolerant smile. "And...oh! The Moon Card!" he continued, revealing a card with Superman Gamma, Manhunter Hikari, and Nadia's images with the moon in the background. "This card represents confusion or loss of control." Frowning somewhat over this, he then revealed another card, this one showing Sylia Stingray in her wheelchair, with a tower in the background being shattered by lightning. "The Tower. This means a sudden, catastrophic change." A beat passed as he revealed another card, this one showing Joker R, but it was upside down. "The Fool..."

"Well, Joker R's a fool, alright!" Ranma declared even as he shuddered at the image of the clown martial artist. Like many, he found the notion of versions of himself so far gone down the path of evil disturbing, to say the least. "But why's it upside down?"

"The Fool Card represents new developments, fresh starts, or taking a risk. But...since it's reversed, I'm guessing that, whatever risk he's planning on taking, isn't going to go well," Michiru explained with a frown, already summoning another card. "Now, let's see...uh-oh..."

"Uh, Doc? Not a fan of 'uh-ohs', either!" Mari informed him. "What is it?!"

"The Devil Card. Symbol of materialism, greed, lust, bondage, and anger," Michiru explained as he revealed the card in question. "But the image on it..."

"That's...Chicago!" Misato breathed in dismay as they took in the imagery of the card. "But - what's that supposed to mean?!"

"I'm not sure. Maybe once I finish the divination, we'll have a better idea," Michiru informed them as he summoned another card. "And...that's strange..."

"What's strange?" Ranma wondered even as Michiru revealed the card. "The Star Card...reversed?"

"Normally, the Star Card represents hope for the future, a good omen. But the fact that it's reversed means the opposite. A _bad_ omen," Michiru quickly explained before frowning heavily. "What I don't get is the image on the card...whoever he is, I don't recognize him."

"I do," Misato declared with a faint scowl. "Some time ago, a Time Lord in exile captured Diagla, the Temporal Pokémon. He tried to absorb it's power and almost destroyed the entire world in the process." Pausing to nod at the card, she added, "And that's him! Right there!"

"I heard about that one. The Champions stopped him then," Daniel murmured lowly. "You think maybe he has something to do with this?"

"Not possible. He's in jail. And without his powers or his TARDIS, he's _staying_ there," Misato frowned sourly. "Still...maybe I should check into this. Make sure he's still locked up, just to be sure."

"The Star Card is the card of _omens._ So it's possible that this Time Lord isn't directly involved in this," Michiru pointed out. "Also...I heard something about him selling his technology to criminals. So even if he's in jail..."

"There's a chance that Joker R and his crew managed to get their hands on something of his? It's possible," Misato admitted with a scowl. "And if you're right, it adds a whole new level of nasty to this."

"So you got anything else?" Mari wondered with a frown.

"Only one more card," Michiru replied as he summoned the card. "And this is...oh, _no...!"_

Watching as the magician's eyes rounded in horror, Mari groaned and declared, "Uh, Doc? Remember? I _hate oh no!_ Now, what is it!"

"The Hanged Man," Michiru replied after a moment, turning the card to show Mari herself on the card, hanging in the air with a noose around her neck. "Symbol of waiting...and sacrifice."

Once again, a chill ran down Ranma's spine, and it was clear he wasn't the only one affected it. Misato was frowning warily, Daniel looked positively grim, and Mari had turned a few shades paler. "Oh," she croaked in dismay. "In other words...I _really_ shouldn't start reading any long books, should I?"

Wondering how the heck Mari could make jokes at a time like this, Ranma asked, "So...what do we have now? What does this all mean?!"

"The Devil Card and the fact that Danny saw people going Joker in his dream...hey! That sounds like something I heard about back in Gotham City!" Mari suddenly declared. "Apparently, in a world where the Joker had died, his blood had caused people to come down with something called Mad Clown Disease!"

"I heard about that, too," Misato admitted with a grim look. "Anybody who was infected not only started looking like the Joker, but were also infected by his consciousness. They were literally _becoming_ Jokers, both in body _and_ mind!"

"So...what?" Daniel wondered worriedly. "You think maybe Joker R has his own version of the virus or whatever that caused it?"

"If he does, then we're in for some big time shit!" Mari grimaced warily. "Back in the worlds where the disease showed up, they never found a cure for it! And if something like that hits the whole city -!"

"Agreed. I better warn the biohazard division and have our medical people on full standby," Misato declared with a frown. "I'll also have all Champions fully inoculated to protect against germ warfare."

"Same here," Mari replied. "But what about the rest of it? If we're right about Joker R fooling around with Gallifreyan tech, then there's no end of the ways that can blow up in our faces!"

"Uh, no offense, Cap," Daniel groaned glumly, "but I really wished you'd used better words..."

"We have people trained to deal with Time Lord tech," Misato informed them. "I'll have them put on emergency standby, just in case."

"And I'll have our resident techheads bone up on their Gallifreyan, too," Mari chimed in.

"Also, Commander? I think you should switch out the team you're sending to the ceremony for the Fourth," Michiru advised her, much to Ranma's surprise. "Judging from the fact that Danny saw them in his Shrine Nightmare, as well as the Hermit and Moon Cards, I think we can safely assume that the mistake the cards refer to you making is sending those three to the ceremony."

A beat passed as Misato looked at the sorcerer in surprise, right before shaking her head. "I'm sorry, but...I can't," she replied. "Ms. Stingray has already made it clear that this is the team she wants for this assignment."

"Oh, _c'mon!_ I've been telling you right from the get-go that Team Schmooze was a bad choice for this job! And you won't even listen when the Doctor's seconding my opinion?!" Mari demanded incredulously as she gestured at Michiru. "Remember? Card of good advice! So _please_ follow the good Doctor's orders!"

"And don't forget that Ms. Stingray is also being affected by this," Michiru reminded her. "The fact that she's symbolized by the Tower Card...something like that could be _very_ bad."

As Misato glanced about at the Avengers before, she finally heaved a deep sigh and answered, "I'll talk to her when I get back to Stronghold and...tell her about this." Mari and the others were about to protest before the Commander added, "I won't mention us being here. I'll just tell her about the Shrine Nightmare and the results of the divination. And I'll warn the team about what you've told me and our theory about the Mad Clown Disease. But beyond that..."

As Misato groaned wearily, Mari nodded. "Okay. I get that there's not a lot you can do here," she assured the Commander. "Just do me a favor and be as persuasive as you can! Because I _really_ don't think a hangman's noose is a good fashion accessory!"

"Understood," Misato nodded sourly. Pausing to heave another sigh, she managed a wan smile before saying, "Well, we haven't heard from Asuka and the others, so...I'm guessing they're still working. Might as well head back now."

"Right," Ranma nodded somberly. "See you when we get back."

"Seeya," Misato glumly replied with a nod before turning to leave Michiru's apartment.

At this, Michiru sighed, unfolding his legs before coming to stand. "Sorry I couldn't be more help to you, Mari," he told her in a downcast manner. "I'm going to get dressed, then go down and start helping the others with construction. Let me know if there's anything else I can do."

"Yeah, same here," Daniel seconded with a nod as he also rose up.

"Will do," Mari nodded, pausing just long enough to watch Danny leave and Michiru retreat further into his apartment. Then she turned towards Ranma and said, "Well, I don't know about you, but...all that grim has put me in a downer mood. So how about we head down to a training room and get to work on that sparring session we talked about?"

As Ranma thought about expending his own depression through physical exertion, he found his mood improving as well. "Sounds good!" Then he glanced down at Mari's holstered weapons and added, "But, uh...no heat beams or fire, okay? I'm not a fan of fried fish!"

"Hey, no worries! In fact...hey, I know what! If you don't mind making a stop, we can drop by my place and I can ditch my battlesuit!" Mari suggested with a happy smile. "That way, it'll just be me and my skills and shield against you and your skills and trident!"

"That sounds good," Ranma nodded, already looking forward to this. "Too bad we'll only have enough time for a short spar. Heck, I'm amazed the others haven't called to say that they're done already!"

"I wouldn't worry about any of them calling to say they're done anytime soon," Mari replied with a grin as they started forward. "You see, I had JARVIS run some numbers. You know, see how fast your team and ours could finish up the Mansion? And...well, let's just say that we have _plenty_ of time...!"

* * *

"I can't believe that we're still! Not! _Done!"_ Captain Marvel Asuka growled in frustration, at the end of her rope with her time at Avengers Mansion. And she was far from the only one.

 _"Ten hours!"_ Asuka continued as she sat back in one of the many comfortable chairs that were to be found in the Avengers lounge, talking and knocking back a quick non-alcoholic beverage with a couple of the others that were taking a break from their labors while they waited to be assigned new tasks in completing this overblown luxury resort hotel that was called Avengers Mansion. "We have been at this for _ten fucking hours,_ and we're _not done?!_ A team loaded with Kryptonians, speedsters, and me, and we're _still not done?!_ How the hell is that even _possible?!"_

"It's the Mansion's systems," Hikari/Northstar sourly remarked as she took a sip of some team. "The Stark tech and all the rest of it? It's _way_ more advanced than what we've got at Stronghold! Even with the workers here showing us how to install everything, wiring and welding everything in place takes _forever!"_

"I hate to admit it, but she's right!" Ukyo/Aurora chimed in even as she ate some okonomiyaki she had had prepared. "And all of these systems and sub-systems, the tests they have to run to make sure everything's working, and all the rest of it...no wonder it's taking them so long to get everything done!"

Nodding to this, Toji/Quicksilver chomped down a burger he had gotten for himself. "And don't even get me started on all the _weapons_ they've got here! You know those two big cat statues they've got out on the lawn? Well, I was helping them out with them earlier, and guess what?! Each of them opens up to show this great big gun they call a Hybrid Cannon! The worker say that just one of those things could punch a hole in _the moon,_ for crying out loud!"

 _"What?!"_ Hikari cried out in disbelief.

 _"Those_ would've come in handy during that last giant robot attack!" Ukyo noted. "Not to mention that Kree invasion." A beat passed before she frowned and wondered, "Or was it the Gordanians?"

"I can never keep track of all those damned evil space aliens!" Asuka grimaced, knocking back another mouthful of her drink. "I'm just glad they usually go after places like New York City or Tokyo!"

"Yeah. But this place sure has a lot of tech we don't," Toji went on before savagely taking another bite of his burger. "Of course...that ain't the _only_ difference between this place and Stronghold..."

"Ugh...don't even get me started!" Asuka muttered in disgust as she studied the lounge they were presently resting in.

Stronghold had a lounge where the Champions could relax, eat and drink and enjoy each other's company. But like much of the Champions' Headquarters, it had been designed primarily for functionality and efficiency. However, it was obvious that Avengers Infinity didn't overly care about those little things, because what the Avengers called a lounge was more like a ritzy nightclub. It was a three-story monstrosity, devoted solely to partying and dancing and entertaining. The first floor where the Champions were presently seated had numerous chairs and tables surrounding a dance floor, with a long, heavily stocked bar against one wall that was manned by a robotic bartender, and where the bar ended, there was what looked to be a monstrous fish tank lining the wall. The second floor was more like a catwalk that would allow anyone there to look down on the dance floor, but also had a few tables and seats littered about. As for the third floor, it was more like a classy restaurant, a fine-dining establishment with a _second_ bar, as well as a small kitchen manned by cooking robots.

"This place is completely _ridiculous!_ How the hell did a bunch of _amateurs_ like this warrant a huge, completely over-the-top Mansion like _this,_ anyway?!" Asuka demanded, griping mostly for the sake of griping at this point. "Rei spotted a bunch of microbot _janitors_ working to keep the place clean! Robot _janitors!"_

"Oh, that's _nothing!"_ Ukyo grumbled sourly. "You should have seen the _entertainment center!_ It was like a big movie theater and arcade, all rolled up into one! Movies, television, video games, _the works!"_

"You think _that's_ bad?! Have you been down to the lower levels?!" Hikari demanded, speaking of the subterranean portions of the Mansion. "At least _ten stories_ of more tech and stuff! Several laboratories that I couldn't even make sense of, this great big arsenal, and a hall _filled_ with Iron Maiden armors!"

"And then there's the garage!" Toji declared around another mouthful of burger.

"What, you mean the hanger?" Asuka wondered, thinking of the monstrosity where they kept the _American Dream,_ where they were working on other vehicles and such.

"No, the _garage!"_ Toji grimaced. "The damned thing was _loaded_ with trucks, vans, sports cars, and more! All bought and provided by Avengers Infinity!"

Growling deep in her throat at this, Asuka finished her drink, honestly wishing that she was off-duty so she could get something a lot stronger than the juice she had chosen. "I'm gonna get some more to drink," she grumbled sourly, already starting towards the bar. "And _then_ I'm gonna check with the others and see how much longer we're going to be stuck working at the Avengers Luxury Hotel and Casino!"

Unable to fathom how a complete waste of space like Mari and her crew had been able to warrant living in the lap of luxury, Asuka made her way over to the bar, where the robotic bartender awaited. "Greetings, Captain Marvel," the robot intoned, just human-like enough to be recognized as such without invoking the Uncanny Valley effect. "How may I help you?"

"Just pour me another fruit punch, okay?" Asuka grumbled, sliding her empty glass across the bar to the robot.

"Of course," the bartender replied, already setting to work on fetching her a fresh glass.

Even as Asuka was wondering how in the hell Stark Industries was able to afford all this shit without managing to bankrupt itself, the doors to the lounge swung open. Looking about, she saw Ryoko/Flash and Misato/Quicksilver enter, having just blurred into the massive structure. As the wielder of the power of Shazam looked on, the two speedsters ground to a halt and started looking about at the lounge in awe. "Shit...!" Misato got out, wide-eyed like a little girl in a toy store. "And I thought Impulse was kidding when he told us about this place!"

"Same here!" Ryoko agreed with a dull nod as she looked about. Only to freeze in amazement when her eyes settled upon Asuka and where she was. "And it looks like he wasn't kidding about _that,_ either!"

"Quicksilver M, Flash," Asuka formally greeted the speedsters even as they made their way over to the bar. "I trust you two have completed your assignments."

"Sure have!" Ryoko eagerly confirmed as she pulled a seat at the bar. "They're running tests on the weapons now, making sure everything's properly calibrated and whatever."

"The construction crew here will let us know how that goes," Misato seconded as she seated herself as well.

"Greetings, Flash, Quicksilver M," the robot bartender greeted them in a polite manner. "How can I serve you today?"

"Do you have a menu available?" Misato wondered even as she glanced about the stock of beverages available to the Avengers. "I'd like to see what you've got in stock."

"Of course," the bartender assured them, handing them each a tablet computer with the menu inscribed upon it. "Avengers Infinity boasts a wide variety of beverages and dishes from across the multiverse, and despite being incomplete, Avengers Mansion is well-stocked. All items presently in stock here are listed on the menus."

"Great, thanks!" Ryoko grinned as she took the menu and began scrolling through the options. And all it took was a second for her mouth and eyes to pop open in shock. "Damn, are you seeing the kind of stuff they have available here?!"

"I'm seeing it, I'm seeing it!" Misato chimed in, equally dumbstruck. "Butterbeer, Romulan Ale, Pan-Galactic Gargle Blaster -!"

"No alcohol, you two!" Asuka ordered them, already annoyed with how quickly her team was falling prey to Avarice Mansion. "We're _on duty_ here, and -!"

"Ryoko, _look!"_ Misato cried out, pointing at her menu.

In a flash, Ryoko was looking over Misato's shoulders, and her eyes bulged out of their sockets just as fast. "Asgardian Mead?!" she demanded, right before looking at the bartender. "You've got _Asgardian Mead?!"_

"Of course. Imported directly from the finest producers in the Asgardian Realms," the bartender assured them.

This was all the two speedsters needed to hear before looking at each other and grinning wickedly. Prompting Asuka to reiterate in a more forceful tone, _"No alcohol! Didn't you hear me the first time?!"_

Several seconds passed as the two speedsters looked at Asuka, before they finally sagged in dismay. With Ryoko muttering, "Yeah, we know, we know. No drinking on duty..."

"Sorry," Misato slowly replied with a glum look. "It's just...there's a whole bunch of stuff here that I've _always_ wanted to try, but..."

Taking in the expressions of her teammates, who looked much like little kids outside of a candy story but who were being told they weren't allowed to go in, Asuka let out a wearied groan. _There's going to be hell back at Headquarters when people find out what it's like at Avarice Mansion,_ she grumbled inwardly, not envying Commander Saotome in the slightest for the kind of shit that would soon be heading her way. "Yeah, I hear ya," she said aloud. "Look, I'll...I'll talk to the Captain here. Maybe we can...I don't know! Get her to invite us over for some kind of...Mansion-warming party!"

Even as the speedsters were looking heartened by this, the doors to the lounge opened once more, followed by unstable footsteps and laughter. Already worried that she had been too late in stopping someone from hitting the sauce, Asuka looked about, only to see Mari dressed in little more than shorts, a tank-top shirt, and sports shoes with her shield slung over her back and her Ranma in his scaly green speedo and his trident held loosely in one hand staggering into the lounge. Mari was supporting him as they walked in, with each having one arm slung over the other's shoulder, they were both soaked and stained with sweat, were both bruised and battered and bloodied, but both wore manic grins and looked like they had been having the time of their lives.

"That was _great...!"_ Mari grinned wickedly as they staggered onwards. "Damn, you've got great moves! When you came in for that last punch...!"

"I know, I know!" Ranma smiled merrily, heaving a deep sigh that made it clear that he'd been fighting hard as well. "And I still can't believe how you got in behind me so easily! If I hadn't turned when I had -!"

 _"I'm_ the one who can't believe you saw me coming!" Mari earnestly returned. "The last one who saw me coming in with that move was my Uncle Steve!"

"You sure didn't make it easy, and - whoa!" Ranma started, almost falling over. As the two staggering heroes just barely saved themselves from falling flat on their faces, the Atlantean and the Super Soldier were forced to steady themselves, with the Ranma heaving a few deep breaths. "Damn...I'm dry as dust...I seriously need some water here!"

As if on cue, Asuka turned to the robotic bartender. "A pitcher of water! _Now!"_ she ordered even as she left the bar and made her way over to her boyfriend and her thorn in her side. "Ranma, _what happened to you?!"_

Looking up at Asuka, the Atlantean version of Ranma grinned merrily. "Oh, nothing. We were just sparring, is all!"

"Sparring?!" Asuka repeated, only for her eyes to go wide with astonishment. "Wait...you don't mean...that you two have been _sparring this whole damned time?!"_

"That's right!" Mari confirmed with a gleeful nod. "Just finished a little while ago. Actually, I'm pretty sure we could've kept going, but...all that action was drying Ranma up, so..."

"Oh, I'm dry, alright!" Ranma confirmed with a weak nod of his head. "I'm in need of a good, long soak right now!"

With this in mind, Asuka hurried back to the bar. Fortunately, the bartender already had a pitcher of water in hand. "Your water, Captain -"

"Give it here!" Asuka impatiently replied, very nearly yanking the pitcher out of the bartender's hand. Hurrying back to the staggered fighters, she then quickly flung the contents of the pitcher into Ranma's face. "There! Is that any better?"

Heaving a deep sigh as the water soaked into his body, Ranma then managed to stand up a bit straighter. "Oh...that's better, alright," he admitted, issuing a deep breath as he slowly recovered. "Uh...thanks for helping me this far, Mari."

"No probs!" Mari eagerly replied, still smiling merrily.

"So what happened, anyway?!" Asuka demanded, setting the glass on a nearby table. "Did you beat this twit, Ranma?! _Please_ tell me you beat the crap out of her!"

"Uh...sorry, Asuka," Ranma sheepishly informed her. "Can't say I did."

At this, Asuka's eyes rounded with fresh horror and humiliation. "Then - _she beat you?!"_

"Wha-? Aw, no, no!" Mari promptly assured her.

Glancing back and forth between the two of them, Asuka then slumped forward and demanded, "Then _who won?!"_

"Asuka, it was a _spar!_ It wasn't about winning or losing!" Ranma explained with a casual smile. "It was about blowing off steam, practicing our skills! Getting to be better fighters!"

"So in other words...we _both_ won!" Mari seconded, to which Ranma nodded. "Now, c'mon! Time for that long soak you said you were in need of!"

"Sounds good to me!" Ranma smiled easily even as Mari continued forward, a bit more stable now that she was no longer assisting the somewhat dehydrated Atlantean.

As the Super Soldier lead the way up the stairs, Asuka couldn't help but glare somewhat as her Ranma followed a short distance behind. She had known the Atlantean since they were children, and while she and Rei were far from forthcoming about their relationship with him, they were still very secure in it and trusted each other implicitly. But at the same time, the way he had seemingly bonded with Mari so effortlessly nettled her, especially after having had to deal with that pain in the neck so much and having had worked so long and hard on this blasted Mansion of theirs. So while she didn't think for a second that Ranma was looking at her as anything more than a fellow hero and sparring partner, she still didn't like the fact that he was so at ease with her.

"So, tell me something," Asuka began, hoping to break up this little admiration society. "If you just came here because Ranma needed water, then _why_ come here instead of going to swimming pool? What, were you looking for a few quick nips of the strong stuff while you were at it?"

"Wha- no, of course not!" Mari promptly protested. "I mean, sure, I knock back a pint of Asgardian Mead every now and then, but still -"

"Wait - you _drink?"_ Ranma wondered with a clear note of surprise.

"Yeah, sure," Mari promptly assured him. "Why?"

Glancing between Mari and Asuka and back again, Ranma then explained, "Well, it's just that...Commander Saotome, she almost _never_ drinks these days! I mean, I'm sure you're aware of the reputation that alternates of her have, so..."

"Relax, I knew a Misato back where I came from," Mari nodded understandingly. "So I'm well aware of their reputed fondness for the strong stuff!"

"So you'd have to understand how it would make the Champions look if their Commander - who's already an alternate of someone notorious for drinking - were to be caught spending a lot of time doing that, right?" Ranma wondered.

"Sure, I do," Mari nodded, though it was clear that she wasn't getting the picture. "So...?"

"So aren't you worried about people hearing about you drinking down something like Asgardian Mead?" Asuka wondered in a pointed manner. "Surely, you don't want word getting out that the local Captain America is a hopeless drunk!"

"Alright, let's get a few things straight," Mari shot back, now getting annoyed herself. "First off, I don't drink that much to begin with. I never got into the habit, thank you. Just a quick pint every now and again when I'm in the mood, and that's all." Even as Asuka was preparing to remind Mari that even a nip of Asgardian Mead was more than enough to leave an ordinary human hung out to dry faster than they could say 'Excelsior', the shield wielder went on to say, "And no, I'm _not_ worried about people thinking I'm a hopeless drunk for the simple reason that I _can't_ get drunk! _At all!"_

This caught both Champions' attention, promptly Ranma to look squarely at her and ask, "Wait - seriously? You _can't_ get drunk? Not even on something like Mead?"

"Nope. Not even Mead," Mari confirmed with absolute certainty. "And I know this for a fact because, one time when I was in the Asgard from the world I came from, the Warriors Three got annoyed with me because I scored more wild boars than they did during a hunt for this big celebration. Long story."

"I'll bet!" Asuka declared, knowing full well how those alternates of the Warriors Three must've felt.

"Anyway, they decided to get me back by challenging me to a drinking contest later at the celebration," Mari explained as she continued up the stairs. "I guess they figured they'd drink me under the table and have a good laugh at my expense. Now I didn't want anything to do with it, but...well, you know how Asgardians are. As soon as they challenged me, everyone was on my ass to compete. So...I did. Kinda stupid, I know, but...hey. We were trying to improve relationships between the realms, and me trying to skip out on the contest wouldn't have done that."

"So what happened?" Ranma wondered with a raised eyebrow as they continued to follow Mari upstairs.

"Bottom line? Asgardians _can_ get drunk, but I _can't,"_ Mari informed them. "So, several casks of Asgardian Mead later, they had passed out beneath the table, while Goldilocks, Thor, and a few others were collecting a shitload of money from everyone who'd bet on any of the Three. And _I_ was in _serious_ need of spending some time in the lady's room."

"Yeah, I'll bet!" Ranma chortled at the image this conjured.

Scowling at this, Asuka then glared at the Super Soldier "Alright, you can't get drunk. Congratulations," she muttered sourly. "So why bring Ranma here for a soak? You planning on dumping him in the fish tank?"

"What fish tank?" Mari promptly asked, looking perplexedly at Asuka.

 _"What_ fish tank?! _That_ fish tank!" Asuka declared, pointing at the second story wall of the lounge, where the fish tank could still be seen. "The gigantic monstrosity you've got over there!"

"Oh, _that!"_ Mari started, nodding in comprehension. "Uh...that's actually not a fish tank."

"Not actually a -?!" Asuka started to repeat right before glancing once more at the plexiglass window with the clear blue of an underwater environment just on the other side. "Then what _is it?!"_

"Here, I'll show you," Mari assured them even as she continued upwards. Asuka hesitated for a moment, but when she saw Ranma following without question, the wielder of the power of Shazam growled in her throat and followed a short distance behind. Striding past the dining area that was the top of the lounge and the second bar and all the rest of it, the Super Soldier opened a door and revealed a second room from which a particular aroma emanated.

"Is that...salt water?" Ranma wondered, his eyes widening as he quickly followed Mari into the next room. Wondering what the heck was going on, Asuka followed them both in...and froze at the sight of a _second_ smaller lounge. Fitted with its own bar, a few chairs and tables littered next to the walls, and in the center of it was a large, deep pool from which wafted up the smell of the ocean.

The instant Ranma caught sight of the pool, he grinned and jumped in without so much as a second thought. Both girls raised their arms to shield themselves from the splash, with Mari giggling and Asuka just staring at the pool in amazement. "You have a _second lounge...?!"_ she got out in a low voice rife with astonished confusion. "For _Atlanteans...?!"_

"Well, Atlanteans and any other water-based heroes," Mari said by way of explanation. "I mean, we all know how well they tolerate alcohol; too much of the stuff and they get all dried out. So we have a place for any Atlanteans on the team to kick back and relax. They can even dive down to the lower levels and chat with folks in the main lounge."

Turning an incredulous gaze at Mari, Asuka shouted, "You don't even _have_ any Atlanteans based here!"

A beat passed before Mari shrugged. "Well...not _yet,"_ she replied somewhat lamely. "This branch is a work in progress. It takes a while to put together a branch of any team."

A fresh protest was about to escape Asuka's throat, but before she could say anything, Ranma broke water with a huge grin on his face. "This is _great!"_ he declared in absolute delight. "I haven't been in water like this since I left Atlantis!"

"JARVIS constantly monitors the salinity and other factors in the water. Making sure it's _perfect_ at all times," Mari assured him even as she made her way towards the bar there. "Two chocolate recovery protein shakes with whipped cream on top," she ordered the robotic bartender stationed there. "After all that sparring, I think Ranma and I could both use a quick pick-me-up!"

"I've already got one," Ranma pointed out as he folded his arms over the edge of the pool. "But I'm not gonna turn down a free shake, either!"

"Didn't think you would," Mari smiled even as the bartender went to work.

"Alright, that does it. _That does it!"_ Asuka cried out, this being the absolute last straw to her tolerance. "Just what in the name of hell could you have _possibly_ done to deserve _this?!"_

"Deserve _what?"_ Mari wondered, genuinely perplexed.

 _"This! This whole damned Mansion!"_ Asuka went on, gesturing at everything around her. "This place isn't a superhero base! It's a _Gott-_ damn _luxury resort hotel!_ If the accounting department at Stingray Industries were to see even _half_ of the sheer amount of _junk_ you're sitting on, they'd scream in horror right before _passing out!_ The _first floor_ of this damned Mansion wouldn't be in the Champions' budget! How in the name of hell did you manage to swing getting a place like this?! Jump in the sack with one of the Starks?!"

"Asuka!" Ranma cried out in protest even as Mari scowled. "That was over the line! Now apologize!"

Asuka opened her mouth to protest, only to realize that she _was_ angry. Dangerously so, in fact. And she also remembered that Commander Saotome had left her in charge and that most likely didn't include creating more bad blood with the Avengers. "Alright, I'm sorry!" she got out from between clenched teeth. "I'm just _really_ pissed off right now!"

"Yeah, I'm noticing that!" Mari declared in a voice that was one part snark, one part genuine anger. "And for the record, I'm _nobody's_ whore!"

Deciding that shot was a fair one, under the circumstances, Asuka let it slide. "Look...I just...this is all just too much! The Champions have saved the city _and_ the world more times than I can count! And you...you just...!" Her frustration getting out of control, making it harder and harder to avoid saying the wrong thing, she then demanded, "Just _how_ in the name of hell did you manage to warrant getting this place?! Because you can't _possibly_ tell me that _this_ is the standard design for an Avengers Mansion!"

This erased the scowl from Mari's face, leaving a rather uncertain expression there instead. "Um..."

As silence filled the room, speaking volumes, the robot bartender announced, "Two chocolate recovery protein shakes with whipped cream on top, Captain America."

"Uh, thanks," Mari returned, quickly grabbing both glasses.

Blinking a few times at this, Asuka tried again, "Uh...this _can't_ be the standard design for an Avengers Mansion... _right?!"_

"I'm not saying anything!" Mari replied even as she went over to Ranma and handed him his shake.

As this aversion fell down upon Asuka's head, she sagged forward and stared disbelievingly at Mari. "You're _kidding...!"_

"I didn't say anything, remember?" Mari insisted before making her way over to one of the chairs and sitting back in it.

 _"This_ is _standard_ _design_ for an _Avengers Mansion?!"_ Asuka roared in absolute disbelief. "Is this some kind of _sick joke?!"_

"Nope," Mari announced as she took a sip of her shake.

Slowly shaking her head in mounting disbelief, Asuka marched over to Mari and demanded, "What is _with_ you people?! _Who the hell_ came up with this damned design in the first place?!"

"A whole bunch of Tony Starks," Mari immediately replied. Then she gave Asuka a wry smirk before adding, "What, you don't actually think they'd design a place that they might wind up _living in_ without throwing in all the bells and whistles, do you?"

Asuka opened up her mouth to counter this, only to deflate as the validity of this statement sank in. "Okay," she grudgingly returned. "Good point..."

"If it's any comfort to you, I was pretty shocked myself when I saw what this place was like," Mari admitted before taking a deep swig of her shake. "But...considering where I was living _before,_ I sure as hell wasn't going to complain about it." Taking another drink, she then allowed herself a deep sigh of contentment. "Ah, that's better. Another of these and a bit of rest, and I'll be ready to party some more!"

"Same here," Ranma replied, prompting Asuka to look back and see the Atlantean chugging down his shake. "Another of these, a good soak...and we can get back to sparring!"

"Sounds good to me!" Mari declared with undisguised eagerness. "You're looking a lot better, you know?"

"Same to you," Ranma noted as he looked Mari over. "I mean...maybe it's just me, but you don't seem as banged up as you were before."

"Well, that's probably because I'm healing," Mari replied in a casual manner. "A bit more R & R, and I'll be as good as new."

This statement caught Asuka's attention, prompting her to scowl. "Wait...you mean you have a _healing factor?!"_

"Sure! I'm a Super Soldier! It goes with the territory!" Mari declared, sounding almost surprised that Asuka didn't know this. "Now, I'm not in the same league of healing as alternates of Wolverine or Deadpool, but...yeah. I take a licking, and keep on ticking."

"Wow," Ranma noted, clearly as surprised as Asuka was. "Do other alts of Captain America have that?'

"Of course! We don't tough shit out by our shields alone!" Mari announced with a wide grin. "My Uncle Steve? He told me about this time he was captured by the Skrull Empire." At this point, her smile faltered, darkening. As if the thought of what she was speaking of was somehow distressing to him. "They kept him prisoner for _two months,_ and...well, he doesn't like talking about it, but the way I heard it, they did _everything_ they could think of to break him. And he just toughed it out, and kept coming back for more."

"Whoa," Ranma replied, letting out a low whistle of awe.

Nodding to this, Mari then smiled a bit more broadly. "And I talked with this other alt of him. One day, he was visiting Falcon when this goon showed up and tried to kill Sam. Only _that_ Cap wound up taking the shot instead. Little freak put a bullet right into his head!" Asuka's eyes popped open even wider as Mari fingered a point on her forehead. "Falcon rushed him to the hospital, only for the doctors there to declare him _dead!_ Twelve minutes later - boom! Back up on his feet and in the mood to kick some!"

"And to think, people write alts of Cap off as being no big deal," Ranma noted, shaking his head as he took another draft of his shake.

"Yeah. Which works out about as well as writing off certain billionaires in Gotham City who like to dress up as winged mammals as being no biggie," Mari smirked knowingly.

As Asuka looked on, watching the two of them interact, she couldn't help feel that much more frustrated. Not only was Ranma being taken in by the luxury of the Mansion, but the way he was interacting with the Super Soldier was also grinding Asuka's gears. If Mari had somehow been flirting with Ranma, that would have been one thing. She could just snigger at the wasted efforts and have a good laugh about it with Rei later on. But seeing them acting like they were best friends forever, even having Ranma taking Mari's side before, was building up the fires of her frustration.

Normally, when Asuka was this mad, she could let Ranma or Rei or both comfort her. But Rei was busy elsewhere working on this damnable Mansion, and the wielder of the power of Shazam knew there was absolutely no way she could be comforted or even relax with Ranma as long as Mari was around.

Which meant there was just one thing to do.

"Alright. We get it. You're awesome," Asuka muttered in a voice that was liberally soaked in sarcasm as she made her way over to Mari's chair. "Now do us both a favor and _be awesome someplace else!"_

"Hey - what?!" Mari started as Asuka hefted up the Super Soldier's chair with her in it and started carrying her out. "Now hold on! First of all, I _do_ have legs, you know!" she declared even as she floated out of her chair. Growling deep in her throat at this reminder of Mari's Dragon Ball style training, the German watched as she knocked back the remainder of her shake before declaring, "And next time, try _asking_ me to leave before giving me the boot!"

"Alright!" Asuka snarled, tossing the chair away before marching up to Mari and growling, "I'm _asking_ you to _get the hell out of my face!"_

"Asuka!" Ranma cried out in protest even as he shot out of the pool. Both girls looked his way as he landed slightly between them. Pausing to glance back and forth between them, he then gave the Super Soldier an apologetic look. "Look, Mari, I'm sorry, but...maybe it'd be better if you gave us a little space?"

"Yeah, I'm getting that idea," Mari nodded even as she glanced at Ranma. "Any chance I can get a rain check on that spar?"

"Sure, no problem," Ranma nodded even as Asuka continued to glare at Mari.

"Great, thanks!" Mari smiled before turning to leave. But right before she reached the doors, she paused and turned to look back at the two Champions. "Oh, but before I go, there are a couple things that I wanted to discuss."

"Which are...?" Asuka wondered in a low, dangerous voice.

"First, it's getting late, and your other teams...well, according to JARVIS, they aren't finished yet," Mari began in an even manner. "And since most of the apartments in the Mansion are presently unoccupied, I could have a few set up so that you and the other Champions here could spend the night here. Then tomorrow you could have breakfast and get an early start on finishing up the Mansion."

"That sounds good," Ranma replied with a smile. When Asuka turned towards the Atlantean with an annoyed look, he met her gaze and said, "Asuka, c'mon. It _is_ getting late, everybody's been working hard, and I'm sure they'd all appreciate something to eat and a good night's rest."

As Asuka considered these words, she groaned at the thought of spending the night at the Mansion of Inequity. "I'll contact the others, see how everything's coming along. Alright?" When Ranma nodded to this, his expression making it clear that he thought that was fair, the wielder of the power of Shazam returned her gaze to the Super Soldier. "So what else did you want to talk about?"

"Just that I think that you had a great idea," Mari replied with an even look.

Frowning as she considered these words, Asuka then asked, "And what idea was that?"

"You know, the thing about throwing a Mansion-warming party, and inviting the Champions over for it," Mari explained, prompting the two Champions to look at her in clear surprise. "I mean, let's be honest; we wouldn't have gotten nearly as much done here without your help. And besides, something like that would be a great way for everyone to get know each other, put the past behind us, make a fresh start of things..."

Asuka and Ranma exchanged glances with wide eyes right before returning their gazes to Mari. "But...!" the Captain Marvel alt started, completely taken aback but this, "...I never told you about that!"

"I know. Despite the fact that you said to your teammates you would. Good thing I have great ears," Mari snarked with gusto. "So enjoy your privacy, you two. And don't worry; I'll be sure to mention to everyone downstairs that you were very persuasive in getting me to cave into the idea of inviting you all over for a party."

With that, Mari turned and departed, leaving Asuka to realize that the Super Soldier had managed to not only offer the Champions a very nice gesture in return for their help but had given Asuka a nudgie for letting her frustration cause her to completely forget to mention the idea of a Mansion-warming party to her in the first place. And with that realization, she slumped forward again and grumbled, "I _really_ do hate that bitch...!"

* * *

"Okay...Quicksilver M, this will be your room over there," Mari declared as she led the team of Champions through one of the sections of Avengers Mansion that was completely unoccupied and thus perfect for the temporary lodgings for the entire group. "Don't worry, I had JARVIS prep the apartments. And if you want anything for dinner, just call for room service."

Trying very hard not to smirk at the barely concealed remarks about the fact that Avengers got room service, Mari just watched as Quicksilver M nodded and smiled. "Thanks! And you can bet I will!"

Watching as the speedster quickly ducked into the apartment, Mari focused on the rest of the group. "And...Superman Gamma, that'll be your place for the night," she informed him, pointing at the room in question. "It's all adamantium framework with a bed to match. It was designed to handle a Hulk, so I'm sure it can handle you."

"I'm sure it'll be just fine," Superman Gamma smiled and nodded in response before heading towards the apartment in question. "Thank you."

"I still can't believe that we're not done yet..." Captain Marvel Asuka grumbled even as Mari escorted the rest of the Champions to their assigned lodgings for the night. "How is it even _possible?!_ All this speed and we're _still not done?!"_

"Hey, look on the bright side!" the other Shinji that was part of the crew declared with clear glee. "At least we get to spend some more time checking this place out! It'll be like a sleepover!"

Trying to tune out Asuka's annoyance at this, Mari couldn't help but smile at the bundle of eager enthusiasm that was the amalgamation of Shinji Ikari and Impulse. He showed absolutely no signs of the pain and sorrow that the Shinji she had known in her own world had been so overwhelmed by, his life a veritable cesspit of agony orchestrated by his sadistic piece of filth of a father. Instead, this alt of Shinji was as happy and excitable a person as could be, seemingly much younger in his enthusiasm that he was physically.

"It's nice to have an upbeat attitude around here!" Mari declared, gently smacking Shinji on the back. "And I hope to see more of it tomorrow! We've still got a lot of work to get done!"

With that, Mari proceeded to find rooms for the other Champions present, and it wasn't long before all of them save for Submariner Ranma, Captain Marvel Asuka, Supergirl Rei, and Impulse Shinji had lodgings for the night. "Now, then, let's see..." Mari mused as she considered three of the Champions in particular. "Will you be wanting your own places for the night, or would you prefer to share one?"

"Ha ha, very funny," Asuka grumbled while Ranma and Rei made a show of looking elsewhere.

Smirking at this, knowing full well about the trio's relationship despite their unwillingness to be upfront about it, Mari then shot Shinji a sideways glance. "What do you think, Shinji?" she wondered in a playful manner. "Would they want to share a place?"

 _"Definitely!"_ Shinji immediately declared with a grin.

As Asuka shot Shinji a glare that the speedster completely ignored, Ranma sighed and said, "Hey, it's no big deal. Just keep your cool for a little while longer, okay?"

"Yes. The Mansion is already nearly complete," Rei reminded her. "We should have everything finished by noon tomorrow."

"It _should've_ been finished _today!"_ Asuka scowled disgustedly.

Smiling and placing a comforting hand upon the redhead's shoulder, Ranma said, "At least it'll be done in time for the Fourth. So if the worst comes to the worst, the Avengers will ready for it." When Asuka replied with a dismissive snort, the Atlantean turned towards Mari and asked, "What about you? Bet you feel a lot better, knowing you're going to have fully functional Mansion come the Fourth!"

"Uh, yeah. I do, trust me, I do," Mari nodded slowly. Then she made a face before adding, "Though to be honest, I wish I didn't have to deal with this stupid ceremony at all."

This prompted a puzzled look from Rei, and one of surprise from Asuka. "What?" she asked, looking as if she were uncertain if she had heard Mari correctly. "You mean you aren't looking forward to another round of ass-kissing from the people of Chicago?"

"Are you kidding me?! I _hate_ this kind of shit!" Mari declared in all honesty. "Even ignoring the fact that Governor Stupid is basically painting a great big target on City Hall and everyone there, which I'm sure none of us can ignore, I can think of a bunch of reasons I wouldn't want to deal with this. Starting with the fact that I just _know_ that they're gonna expect me to make another speech, and I still feel like I had just managed to squeak by with _last_ year's!" A beat passed before she wondered, "And what the heck am I supposed to do with a Key to the City, anyway?!"

"We wouldn't know," Asuka replied, folding her arms across her chest at this. _"We've_ never gotten one!"

"You can have mine, then," Mari replied without hesitation. "Whether you believe it or not, I really think you guys don't deserve the kind of flack you get for being corporate. I mean, yeah, sure, I really let the gleesome threesome have it, but I'm still convinced using a team with such obvious weaknesses is a _major_ mistake. Especially since...well, we already know the bad guys we're dealing with know how to handle Kryptonians and Atlanteans."

"Yeah, we do!" Ranma nodded with a rueful roll of his eyes. "Believe me, we learned that one the _hard_ way."

Knowing this, Mari sighed and went on, "Like I said to Uncle Steve; if they want to give me an oversized key, then they should give me a Key _blade._ You know, something _useful?"_ Giving a slight shake of her head at this, she then added, "If it weren't for the fact that it wouldn't be very smart to piss off the Governor, I would be more than happy to tell him to stick that key of his right where the sun don't shine!" As Ranma chuckled at this and even Rei managed a mild smirk, the Super Soldier went on to declare, "Besides, I can think of at least a dozen things I would much rather be doing on the Fourth than giving a damned speech and getting some dumb, oversized key."

"Oh, yeah?" Asuka wondered. "Like what?"

"Like blowing up the Black Cross Bar!" Mari declared, something that immediately garnered a chortle from two of the four Champions, with even Rei smirking that much more. Only Asuka showed no signs of amusement. "No, seriously! I've been wanting to blow that damned place up since I first laid eyes on it! It's like it's this great big festering boil on the city with a huge sign on it saying, 'Please blow me up'!"

"I think we've all be tempted to do that at one time or another," Ranma admitted, casting a glance at his girlfriends. "Haven't we?"

As the two girls eyed their boyfriend, eventually Asuka heaved a deep sigh. "Okay, okay, I admit it. I wouldn't mind seeing that place get blown to pieces!" she finally admitted. "But you do realize that wouldn't do us any good, right? All that would happen is the local bad guys would go on a riot because they didn't have anything to do on a slow night anymore, and the place would probably be rebuilt the next day, good as new! And besides, we sometimes get important intel from monitoring the bar!"

"Hey, I know that! I wound up having to do that myself last year when I was tailing the gangs! And yes, I've seen what happens when you blow up a Black Cross Bar! There was one in New York, and it got dusted last Fourth of July, thanks to Goldie," Mari reported to them. Then she flashed a _biiig_ grin and added, "But it's still pretty fun to think about! Wouldn't you say, Shin- huh?!"

Mari looked towards where Shinji/Impulse had been standing, only to find to her astonishment that he was no longer there. Somehow, without her even noticing, the speedster had completely disappeared.

"What in the -?!" Mari started, completely flummoxed as she looked about and saw no trace of him. "Now how did he -?!".

"Oh, no!" Ranma groaned even as Rei closed her eyes as if in physical pain and Asuka smacked herself in the face. _"Again?"_

Taking note of their reactions, Mari then asked, "Am I to assume that he's done this before? Just disappeared without anybody noticing?"

"Frequently," Rei admitted with a clear expression of chagrin. "I don't understand how he's able to do it without my noticing it, however."

"Well, at least I don't feel quite so stupid for not having noticed it myself," Mari admitted, being aware of how powerful a Kryptonian's senses were. "But...why did he? And where did he go, anyway?"

"The 'why' part's no mystery; he was probably getting bored with us just talking," Ranma said by way of explanation. "That Shinji's a good guy, but he's...well, he's..."

"Impulsive?" Mari gathered with a wry smile.

"To say the least. He's also got the attention span of a flash bulb," Asuka grumbled sourly. "As for 'where' he is...given his track record, he's probably in the absolute last place that we'd want him to be!"

A laugh tore free of Mari's lips at this...right before the works clicked and she realized what exactly they could mean. "Oh... _crap!"_ she groaned in dismay. "I sure as hell hope you're wrong about that! JARVIS!"

"Yes, Captain Makinami?" JARVIS replied.

"I need the location of Impulse Shinji!" Mari demanded. "And I also need you to tell me that he's _nowhere near_ the apartment where my two biggest headaches have set up shop!"

"Regrettably, I can only comply with one of your requests," JARVIS somberly informed them. "For not only is Impulse _near_ their apartment, he's actually _inside_ of it!"

"Oh, _shitballs!"_ Mari groaned, her heart plummeting right into her stomach. "C'mon, we've got to _move!"_

"Why?!" Asuka demanded even as Mari took off in the direction of her two biggest headaches, the Champions quickly moving to follow. "What's happening?! What's going on?!"

"What's going on is that your Impulsive Shinji might be picking a fight with the one guy in this Mansion even _I_ wouldn't want to pick a fight with!" Mari declared with all due urgency even as the Champions caught up with her.

As they closed the distance, Mari's keen ears pricked at a distant, familiar voice. "No, wait! You don't understand!" came Shinji's voice, a voice that was presently rife with terror. "I was just worried! You see -!"

"I said...!" came another voice. One that was painfully familiar to Mari. _"LEAVE ME ALONE!"_

Then there was another sound, mixed with a cry with pure fear from the alternate of Shinji.

"I can hear Impulse!" Rei called out almost at the same moment. "He needs help!"

Without another word, Rei shot ahead, a blur of motion that Mari's eyes could only just track as she disappeared around a corner. Frowning somewhat, she immediately lifted up off the ground, pushing herself for greater speed, for...

 _"Yeeeeaarrgghh!"_ came Rei's pained shriek. A shriek that felt like daggers were being driven into Mari's ears, adding greater urgency to Mari's flight.

Wishing not for the first time that she was trained up enough to warrant Uncle Steve teaching her the Kaioken attack, Mari was only too eager to round the corner. Only to freeze a few feet into the next hallway as she saw what was happening.

A massive fireball had filled the entire hallway, a fireball composed of the deep fires of the stars themselves. A fireball that Super Rei was using her own body to shield Impulse from as he cried out in panic, the two of them being pushed towards the Super Soldier as the raging inferno rapidly approached.

 _"What in the -?!"_ Asuka screamed from somewhat behind Mari even as the Super Soldier grabbed her shield from her back and held it up in front of them.

 _"Get behind my shield!"_ Mari ordered even as she silently invoked the magic within the shield. An instant later, a mystical version of the heater-style shield that her Uncle Steve had once used erupted from the indestructible discus, releasing protective blue energies that surrounded and protected both Rei and Shinji as they were catapulted past her, as well as obstructing the fireball from moving any further down the hall.

For several seconds, the power that dwelled within the heart of a burning star fought against the power of Mari's shield, struggling to get at its intended targets. But after a while, the flames suddenly began their retreat, suddenly being sucked back down the hallway. As Mari looked on, shocked in a way when she realized that the walls were unblemished by the roaring inferno, the flames were sucked in the door to one of the apartments, right before the door closed behind it.

As Mari stared at the inexplicably unscathed hallway, her heart pounding like a trip hammer at their close squeak, she looked out from behind her shield with wide eyes. "What the...?!" Asuka breathed from somewhere behind her, prompting the Super Soldier to glance and see the sheer shock and fear inscribed upon the wielder of the power of Shazam. "What in the name of hell was -?!"

 _"Rei!"_ Shinji cried out, prompting Mari and the others to look about. Only for Asuka and Ranma to cry out at the sight of their companion.

Rei had crashed into the wall behind Mari and had then fallen to the floor, leaving her to groan in utter agony. The back of her costume was gone, scorched into oblivion by the monstrous fireball that had left the Mansion itself untouched. Her virtually indestructible skin was also burnt horribly, in some places revealing the muscle that lay beneath. The entire back of her head had been scorched, revealing patches of bone even as the stench of burnt hair filled the air.

 _"Rei!"_ Ranma cried out in absolute horror as he fell to his knees beside her, reaching out to help, but staying his hands out of fear of hurting her any further.

"What in the -?!" Asuka demanded even as Mari recalled the magical power of her shield and reached into her pocket. "How did - what the -?!"

"Everyone, _get out of the way!"_ Mari cried out as she moved closer to the savaged Kryptonian. The Champions shrank back a bit even as she drew forth a DISK from her pocket. Grateful beyond belief that Uncle Steve and the Tony Stark from his team had gotten her into the habit of keeping a few of them on hand at all times, she held it up and aimed it at Rei. "D-Secure!"

A few seconds later, a corona of light and digital coding surrounded Rei, right before her body dissolved into a veritable rainbow and was pulled into the screen of the DISK. A moment later, the DISK turned green, and a stylized image of Rei appeared on the screen.

 _"Rei?!"_ Asuka cried out, visibly shocked as were the other Champions at their friend's disappearance. But that shock turned to outrage in Asuka's case as she grabbed Mari by the front of her shirt and slammed her into the wall. "Alright, what happened?! _Where's Rei?!"_

"She's right in here!" Mari declared, holding up the DISK for them to see.

"What'd you do to her?!" Ranma demanded, visibly angry at Mari for the very first time. _"What'd you do?!"_

"I just _saved_ her, alright?!" Mari declared as she held up her left forearm and looked at the wristband on it. With a quick motion, she placed the DISK squarely on top of it and pressed a button it. A moment later, a cone of light appeared from the screen and quickly resolved into a small figure. "Rei?" she began even as the other Champions jumped back a step. "Can you hear me?"

"I...yes," replied the figure, a holographic version of Rei that was presently on one knee and was looking about at everyone perplexedly. "But...what's going on? Why are you all so big? Have I been shrunk?"

"Not exactly," Mari replied even as the others turned to glare at her. "Okay, okay! Just give me a moment to explain everything!" Focusing on the tiny holographic figure that was now moving to stand on her wrist, the Super Soldier explained, "Rei, you were badly hurt, so I had to do a D-Secure. Your body is presently being stored in what we call a Digital Identity Securement Kit, or DISK."

"I remember what happened," Rei reported with a nod, her holographic avatar looking hale and hearty. "But...DISK? What is that?"

"It's a new technology Avengers Infinity has been using lately," Mari quickly explained. "It's sort of like a Poké Ball, but it's intended to be used on people. Metas, to be precise."

"But what did you do that for?!" Asuka demanded. "And what about Rei?! Is she gonna be alright?! Can you even get her out of that thing?!"

"I did it because Rei was badly hurt, alright?" Mari shot back with a touch of annoyance. "The DISK was designed for capturing and containing supervillains, but they also have a _healing_ system that makes them perfect for the safe transport of wounded heroes and civilians."

"Healing system?" Ranma repeated, blinking before focusing on the Kryptonian. "Is it working, Rei? Are you feeling any better?"

"I...yes," Rei replied, clearly baffled by her present circumstances. "My body...if this _is_ my body...I still feel sore, but...that is currently fading."

"Sorry for the rude surprise, but I thought it best to put you in a DISK as fast as possible," Mari assured the tiny figure. "You looked like you were pretty badly hurt, and I didn't want to move you. And with the DISK's healing properties -"

"Then Rei's gonna be alright?!" Shinji declared with a fresh grin. "Whew, _that's_ a relief!"

 _"And_ to answer your questions, Asuka, _yes,_ I can get Rei out of the DISK at any time!" Mari informed the Champions. "I was planning on doing that just as soon as I got her to the medical center. The DISK's healing function is great and all, but there's no harm in having a professional medic take a look at her, just to be sure."

Scowling at this, Asuka then placed her hands on her hips. "Alright, fine. Then that just leaves one more question," she growled lowly. A growl that turned into a full-fledged roar as she demanded, _"Just what the hell was that?! What happened here, anyway?!"_

"Gimme a second! I'll tell you the whole thing!" Mari replied even as she reached into her pocket and pulled out her Avengers ID Card. _"After_ I arrange for that professional medic to look at Rei!" With that in mind, she activated her ID Card. "Dr. Shikigami? This is Captain America to Dr. Shikigami! Please tell me you're up and about, Doc!"

A moment later, an image of the sorcerer appeared on the ID Card. "Mari?" Michiru frowned in wondering. "What is it? What happened?"

"Super Rei just got blitzed by the power of a million exploding suns!" Mari tersely reported. "I've already performed a D-Secure, so she's safely in a DISK, but I'd like for you to check on her, just to be on the safe side."

Nodding quickly, Michiru replied, "Alright. I'll teleport to the medical center right away." A beat passed before he added, "If you want, I can also transport you and any others there as well."

"Sounds like a plan, Doc. That'll be four to beam up, not counting the Kryptonian on my wrist," Mari reported.

"Understood. Tell everyone to stay in close proximity to you so I can be sure to get them all," Michiru instructed her.

"Hear you loud and clear, Doc!" Mari replied, snapping off a tiny salute. "We're awaiting transport now!"

"Wow, that's cool!" Shinji gushed, clearly having completely forgotten his recent brush with death. "And you're really okay in there, Rei?"

"I'm fine," Rei assured him, seemingly at peace with the fact that she was presently a hologram that was less than a foot tall. "I don't feel any pain anymore. So hopefully, my wounds have already finished healing."

"That's great!" Shinji gushed in a very much un-Shinji-like manner. Then he looked at Mari and asked, "But...why'd the DISK turn green when you put Rei in it?"

"It's part of the DISK process. To make it work better, all metas are sorted into one of six color-coded categories," Mari quickly explained. "For example, Rei's a Kryptonian, so the DISK turned green, which means she's a Power Class meta. Now if _I_ were to be sucked into a DISK, since I'm mainly martial arts and more, the DISK would turn blue, meaning that I'm a Fight Class meta. Armor-users and cyborgs and so on are coded red for the Tech Class, magicians and metas who do energy manipulations are purple, which is Energy Class, and Spiders and other folks with animal-based powers are yellow for Animal Class."

"Ohh...!" Shinji got out even as Asuka glared at Mari in annoyance. "But - hold on! You said there were _six_ classes! You only described _five_ of them!"

"The last class is the newest. It's what we affectionately call the Nightmare Class. And it's only applied to non-sentient lifeforms so dangerous that they are to be disposed of _immediately,"_ Mari explained. "For example, if someone was infected by a facehugger, I could use a DISK to pull the chestburster out of the unlucky slob who'd gotten a Face Full of Alien Wing-Wong. Then the DISK would turn black, meaning that whatever was in it was to be disposed of ASAP."

Asuka was about to say something, but then Ranma blurted, "Whoa, hold on! You mean you can use these things to pull a chestbuster out of someone?! _Without hurting them?!"_

"That's right. It's one of the reasons Avengers Infinity has been developing this technology," Mari replied easily. "Instant chestburster removal, no surgery required!"

A few seconds passed as Ranma gazed at the device and Rei, right before asking, "Could you...use a DISK on a _ghost,_ then? I mean...say if one of us was possessed by a ghost...or even a _half-_ ghost? Could you use a DISK to yank it out of us?"

"I don't think so. We're still having problems adapting DISKs to work on purely supernatural entities, so a pure ghost is out. And I'm not sure about how well it would work on a _half-_ ghost," Mari replied, not entirely certain where Ranma was going with this. "Buuut...we could use it to pull you _off_ the ghost. You know, D-Secure someone who's been possessed and leave the ghost behind." Watching as this sank in, Mari then frowned and asked, "Why do you ask?"

A beat passed as Ranma and Rei looked each other, shadows crossing their features before the Kryptonian wrapped an arm about her frame. "Let's just say that," the Atlantean spoke in a low, evasive manner, "tech like that would have saved us all a lot of grief a while back."

Mari was about to inquire more about this, but it was at that moment that a shining pentagram appeared at their feet. "Ah! That would be our ride to the medical center!" she declared as light rose up to surround them all. "So just relax and -!"

There was a brilliant flash of light, and almost immediately, they were no longer in the hallway, but were instead in a highly advanced medical center that would have been right at home on Star Trek, and was thus completely at odds with the magician garbed as Sorcerer Supreme. "- enjoy the ride!" Mari concluded as she turned to face Michiru. "Thanks for the express service, Doc!"

"Sorry to take so long," Michiru told them before gesturing at one of the beds. "D-Release Rei right here. I'll take care of the rest."

Nodding to this, Mari plucked the DISK from her wristband, with Rei's hologram disappearing as she did. But even as she held up the DISK and took aim, Shinji cried out, "Oh, can I let her out? Please?"

Giving a slight smile at him, Mari replied, "Sorry, but DISKS are all specially coded to prevent them from being used by the wrong people. Only a person with a bio-code implanted can use a DISK. And right now, only members of Avengers Infinity are allowed to be implanted with bio-codes." As Shinji let forth a disappointed groan, she smiled and once again took aim. "But...you can stand back and watch the show!"

At this, Shinji smiled a bit once more, and everyone looked on as Mari slid her thumb across the reader on the back of the DISK. "Accepted," came an electronic voice. "Materializing. Power Identity."

"Super Rei!" Mari called out. _"D-Release!"_

An instant later, the DISK spat forth a brilliant corona of energy that struck the floor next to the bed, and within seconds, a vortex of digital coding was released. And in the center of it all was a familiar figure, immersed in a rainbow of color. Rings of light and a double-helix of what looked like stylized molecules surrounded her, wafting upwards around her. Moments later, the light that adhered to Rei started breaking apart, allowing to her float up into the air before coming down to the floor once more.

"Greetings, everyone," Rei stated upon landing, a tiny smile on her face as the energy surrounding her faded away.

"Rei!" Ranma gushed in delight even as Shinji gasped with joy. "I...I don't believe it! You...you're okay!"

"Yeah!" Shinji seconded with excitement. "And - look! Even your _costume_ is fixed! That's so _cool!"_

"So it is," Rei noted even as she glanced back at herself, her movements making it clear that was no remaining sign of the grievous injuries that had been inflicted upon her, or the damage to her costume. "I...I feel perfectly fine."

"Maybe so, but...if it's all the same to you, I'd like to let the All-Seeing Eye of Agamotto be the judge of that," Michiru informed the Kryptonian. "Just to be on the safe side."

Nodding to this, Rei replied, "Of course."

As Rei sat down on the bed and Michiru conjured, summoning forth the Eye from the pendant that bound his Cloak, Shinji went up to the Kryptonian. "I'm really sorry about what happened, Rei! It's all my fault!" he informed her. "I was checking out some of the portraits of the Avengers here when I noticed this lady carrying dinner into one of the apartments! Then I saw something in there, and -!"

"It's alright, Shinji," Rei promptly assured him, cutting off his self-condemnations. "What happened wasn't your doing."

"That's right. It was one of the _Avengers_ who did this!" Asuka growled, leveling an accusing glare at Mari. "One of _your_ people initiated an unprovoked attack upon two members of the Champions, _Captain!_ And I want to know exactly who was responsible and _what the hell you intend to do about it!"_

"Asuka's right, Mari," Ranma seconded in a stern manner. "Look, I'm not blaming you for what happened, but...well, I don't care what Shinji may or may have done. What happened back there -!"

"Was completely over the top?! Believe me, you two, I'm in total agreement!" Mari replied. Then she heaved a deep sigh and admitted, "Unfortunately, I'm not sure what the hell I could _do_ about it!" When all the Champions shot her looks of shock and annoyance, the Super Soldier went on to add, "The person who attacked you...he's one of my problem cases! And I can't do _a thing_ with him!"

"What are you talking about?!" Asuka demanded in a heated tone. "That was a member of _your team!_ Meaning that it's _your_ job to deal with him!"

"I'd love to! The problem is, I have no idea _how!"_ Mari explained in a despondent voice. "The jerk in question and his little kewpie doll haven't listened to a damned word I've said since they were put on this team! They just do whatever they want, and I haven't been able to do jack shit about either of them!"

A cry of strangled frustration erupted from Asuka's mouth at this, with Ranma frowning as well. But it was Rei who broke the silence when she said, "Mari... you said something before about...the power of a million exploding suns. Does that mean...?"

"Yeah. A _Sentry!"_ Mari declared in a bitter tone of voice. _"That's_ what hit you back there!"

As these words echoed through the room, several jaws plummeted to the floor. "A _Sentry?!"_ Asuka demanded upon recovery. "But those are among the most powerful and least _stable_ meta-types in all of Coreline!"

"Tell me something I'm not already painfully aware of!" Mari grumbled sourly. "On top of that, this particular Sentry is in the top tier in the power department! As well as being an arrogant, insufferable ass with serious anger management issues to boot!"

"Well, who is he?!" Ranma wondered with a frown. "I'm guessing that it's not an alternate of Robert Reynolds!"

"Oh, I should be so _lucky!"_ Mari decreed in a highly vehement tone. "No, no! This particular Sentry, I understand that he used to be this sweet little kid, growing up on a desert planet in the middle of nowhere! Hair of gold, eyes of blue, and _goes by the name of ANAKIN SKYWALKER!"_

The instant this name was heard, it fell upon the heads of everyone present like a small moon. Mari could practically hear the low, ominous version of the Imperial March playing as eyes bulged out of their sockets in patent shock and jaws fell open. As Shinji paled horribly and Rei sucked in a deep breath. As even Ranma gulped somewhat, and Asuka just slumped forward and stared at Mari in patent disbelief. And through it all was a silence so thick that it could be cut with a lightsaber.

Several seconds passed as Asuka just stood there, opening and closing her mouth seemingly at random, struggling to speak. "Wha...you mean...?"

"Darth...Vader...?" Shinji sputtered out in clear terror.

"You...you have an alternate...of Darth Vader here...?" Ranma gasped, his entire body tense with anxiety. "With the powers of the _Sentry...?!"_

"Uh, no! I have an alternate of _Anakin Skywalker_ with the powers of the Sentry! This particular version never went over to the Dark Side of the Force!" Mari tersely reported. "However, I will admit that, with the kind of attitude he's packing, it can be hard to tell at times!"

"But if that's the case, then why'd he attack Shinji and Rei?!" Asuka demanded.

"Best guess? Shinji went into his room without permission," Mari replied with a scowl. "Now, before anybody accuses me of passing the buck, let me give you all a little background information on this particular headache! I'll assume that you're all familiar with his basic back-story, right?" When the Champions nodded in confirmation, the Super Soldier nodded. "Alright. This version is pretty much the same deal, only he wound up getting accidentally dunked in some experimental secret sauce that was supposed to make the Republic's clone troopers stronger, faster, and more powerful. And it worked... _way_ too well on this guy. _So_ well, in fact, that it allowed him to find out what kind of scummy scum Palpatine actually was, as well as everything he had been doing to the Chosen One of the Force right from the word go. All his evil plans, his manipulations, the whole nine yards."

"Oh, boy...!" Ranma got out, letting out a low breath at this. "And I bet he wasn't happy!"

"Well, given that Anakin wound up _incinerating_ Palpatine _and_ a good-sized portion of the planet they'd been on, I'd say that was a safe bet," Mari reported. "Unfortunately, it turns out that, even though Palpatine had been reduced to free-floating atoms, all the crap he'd done to Anakin's mind was still there. All the manipulations and worse was all right in there. And that became his version of the Void."

"Aw, great!" Asuka groaned despairingly. "And, let me guess! Every time he uses his powers as the Sentry, his Void will do something evil in proportion to it?"

"Got it in one!" Mari reported with a roll of her eyes. "The way I heard it, he tried using his powers to take down a clone fleet that had still been loyal to Palpatine, only for his Void to wind up killing the exact same number of innocent people on the planet he'd been protecting!"

"Wonderful," Ranma groused in a way that was drenched in sarcasm. "So what happened next?"

"As soon as Anakin and the Jedi Council figured out the kind of hot potato they had on their hands, they decided and he agreed that he needed to go into exile. Meditate and contemplate his navel and whatever else it was he needed to do until he finally worked out his issues and got all the Sith influence out of his system." Pausing to scowl somewhat, Mari went on to add, "However, since he _was_ such a hot potato, everybody involved also agreed that they didn't want him chucked off into the middle of nowhere without someone to watch over him. Someone to make sure that he never went over to the Dark Side...and if he ever did..." Pausing to heave a deep breath, Mari then punctuated her statement by running her finger across her throat.

"Ohh!" Shinji piped up, comprehension lighting up his features. "Do you mean that lady I saw bringing him dinner?"

"Yep. Ahsoka Tano, Anakin's former padawan learner, and my _other_ big headache. She volunteered for the job and vowed to do everything she could to protect and serve him, as well as enable him to purge himself of the Dark Side...and to end him if he ever succumbed," Mari went on with a scowl. "And to make sure that she was up to the job, the Jedi Council powered up her body, buffed her up, and supercharged her with some Jedi Force trick. She became known as the Valkyrie, they wound up on some uninhabited dustball of a planet in the middle of nowhere before being pulled into Core Timeline where Avengers Infinity found them, and the rest, as they say, is history."

"So...that's it?!" Asuka demanded with a heavy scowl. "He attacked Shinji just because...he disturbed his meditation?!"

"That's my best guess," Mari replied with a helpless shrug.

"Oh, _perfect!"_ Ranma groaned in exasperation. "We nearly got _vaporized_ just because someone walked in on him?! Why didn't you _warn_ us about this nut?!"

"Commander Saotome was notified about him before we even came out here!" Mari immediately countered, something that visibly took all four Champions by surprise. "Besides, this is the first time he's ever pulled a stunt like _this!"_

Several seconds of stunned silence passed before Rei wondered, "Then...he's not usually violent?"

"Nope. He's an arrogant, officious ass, and I was _definitely_ expecting him to be royally POed about someone just waltzing into his apartment, which can be pretty nasty...but he's never actually _attacked_ anybody before!" Then Mari scowled and admitted, "Of course...this is also the first time anybody's ever busted into his apartment...but I _still_ wouldn't have expected him to go off like a damned _solar flare!"_

As the Champions considered this, Rei frowned and said, "I understand what it's like to try and wrestle with a power that seeks to dominate you. What it's like to deal with something dark and terrible within. But if what you're saying is true, then...why is he even here? Shouldn't he be receiving treatment at an Iron Haven or the Infinite Avengers Tower?"

"If only it were that simple! The head honchos back at the Tower made it very clear that, with as much power as Sentry Skywalker has, they wanted to make sure that he couldn't run around, doing whatever he wanted if he ever snapped. So they wanted a team of Avengers to be ready to deal with him at all times," Mari explained with a scowl. "However, because of his up-until-now 'exemplary behavior', they also decided to humor him when he said he wanted to get away from the Tower and be moved to a less crowded facility. This Mansion has the fewest Avengers, and presently, it's just Extraordinary Avengers here. Amalgams, like him. So somebody got the bright idea to make him and his babysitter _my_ headache!"

As this sank in, the sound of Michiru gently clearing his throat caught everyone's attention. "Everyone? I'm glad to say that Super Rei looks to be just fine," he reported even as the Eye of Agamotto returned to his amulet. "The DISK's healing capabilities, combined with her own Kryptonian physiology, have completely healed her. She doesn't even have a scar to show for what happened."

There was an assortment of relieved sighs at this even as Rei lifted herself up off the medical bed, gladly accepting a hug from Ranma while Asuka just stood by and smiled. "I'm really glad you're okay, Rei," Shinji chimed in. But then the speedster frowned and wondered, "But...wait. If your Sentry is really all that messed up...why don't you _do_ something? Can't you...I dunno! Help him?"

"We _want_ to, but...he's completely refused to let anyone but Ahsoka anywhere near him," Michiru replied in a solemn tone. "All of us here realize how powerful he is, as well as how much damage Palpatine did to his mind, but...he won't let anybody help him. Keeps insisting that he has to do everything by himself, so...he's remained in his room ever since we first came here. Hasn't come out of it even once, and won't let anybody in to see him."

"Which _isn't_ how a team works! And with as dangerous as his power and issues make him, I decided right from the word go that, since _we'd_ be the first ones in his line of fire if he were to have a meltdown, his problems were also _our_ problems," Mari stated with a frown. A beat passed before she added, "Besides, Uncle Steve asked me to try and get him to open up. Make some friends, come out of that damned cocoon he's closed himself off in. So...I wanted him to let us help him sort out his issues."

"And I'm guessing you haven't had much luck," Ranma gathered, giving Mari a sympathetic look.

"Not unless you count the bad kind," Mari grumbled sourly. "And his kewpie doll, she's no help _at all!_ Every time we even want to try and talk to the jerk, we have to go through _her_ first! And the few times I've tried to talk with them, offer some assistance, anything like that, it's always the same thing. 'Don't waste my time, nerf herder!' 'My Master knows what's best, nerf herder!' 'You speak of things you don't understand, nerf herder!' Ugh...I swear, there are days I can practically _feel_ my blood vessels bursting...!"

Several seconds passed as Rei frowned unhappily. "So what you're saying is that he's far too powerful to be allowed to roam free and unmonitored. Meaning that you cannot punish him with dismissal from Avengers Infinity," she slowly intoned, sounding out every word she spoke carefully. "But because of his isolationist attitude, other forms of punishment such as confinement would be ineffectual as he is already constantly confining himself. You have no means of compelling his cooperation, and as we've discovered, his instability and extreme power mean that intruding upon his quarters or trying to force him out of them for any reason would be to risk provoking another violent outburst."

"Uh...I would've said it a bit differently. Probably with a bunch of colorful metaphors," Mari admitted in a sour voice. "But yeah...that pretty much sums it up."

A few seconds passed in silence as the Champions exchanged glances before Asuka gave Mari a wan smile. "Well...look on the bright side! Him trying to _nuke us_ has got to qualify as breaking his parole or whatever the hell he's on!" the redhead declared. "After something like _this,_ you'll be able to bounce him out of here, no problem!"

"But she can't," Rei promptly pointed out. When Asuka and Ranma looked at the albino Kryptonian in surprise, she went on to explain, "In order for Mari to be able to press charges against Anakin, I and all others involved would have to testify against him as well."

"Well, that's fine by me!" Ranma declared even as Asuka nodded emphatically. "This creep could've killed you _and_ Impulse _and_ the rest of us while he was at it! If he's so crazy that he's willing to do _that_ just because someone went in his room, then he needs to be locked away or put down as fast as possible!"

"But if we were to testify, we would also have to admit that we were here at the Mansion. When officially speaking, we are not," Rei reminded them all. "Commander Saotome has us working here without Ms. Stingray's knowledge. And while she is not disobeying any orders, it is certain that Ms. Stingray would not appreciate us working to assist the Avengers when their involvement with the events of the Fourth of July is precisely what we were ordered to prevent by any means necessary."

As these words sounded, both Ranma and Asuka looked hard at the Kryptonian, their eyes round with shock, even as Mari groaned and massaged her forehead. "You know something?" she grumbled sourly. "Sometimes, logic really does _suck..."_

"You mean we can't do _anything_ about this asshole without screwing over Misato as well?!" Asuka screeched incredulously. "He nearly roasted _all five of us,_ and we have to just sit back and let him _get away with it?!_ Are you _kidding me?!"_

"Aw, damn...this can't _possibly_ get any worse!" Ranma vehemently declared...only to smack himself in the face and groan. "I said that out loud, didn't I?!"

Mari was about to confirm that, yes, he had just had a major brain fart, when she heard the sound of her Avengers ID Card beeping. "Oh, _joy!"_ the Super Soldier grumbled in the most sarcasm-drenched voice she could muster as she pulled out her card and looked at it. "I can't even _begin_ to imagine _who_ might be calling me right now!" Tempted to wonder how this could possibly get worse but quickly thinking better of it, Mari pressed the button that caused her card to receive the call. A moment later, the image of Ahsoka Tano appeared on her card. "Hello, Valkyrie. What can I do you for?"

"I...Captain...Makinami," the Togruta female began, apparently unwilling to even meet Mari's gaze. The very fact that she was addressing the Super Soldier by her proper title instead of nerf herder making it very clear that she considered this situation to be more serious than usual. "I...I regret to inform you that there has been an...incident."

"An _incident?!"_ Asuka screeched in patent disbelief. "We almost got roasted alive, and _that's_ what she calls it?! An _incident?!"_

Ahsoka glanced about on her end of the communication, displaying some of the Amazonian build she possessed. Leaving Mari to sigh, roll her eyes, and grumble, "If by 'incident', you're referring to the massive supernova blast that very nearly roasted myself, Submariner R, Captain Marvel Asuka, Super Rei, and Impulse Shinji, you should know that I am already quite aware of it." Deciding that she didn't need to know that there was no way of pressing charges against Ahsoka or Anakin, the Super Soldier glared at her for a moment before she added, "You should _also_ be aware that all of us involved consider what happened to be more than a mere 'incident'. As will the Champions' Commander and a few other people, I'd bet."

The sheer look of Oh Crap that exploded upon Ahsoka's face was priceless and made up for a great deal of the grief Mari had had to put up with from her. "I see," she finally managed to get out with some difficulty. "Were there...any injuries?"

"Super Rei took a direct hit from the blast, and was severely injured as a result," Mari intoned, trying to keep her mouth in check. Knowing that she had a responsibility to handle this as well as she could, not just for herself, but for those who had come so close to being killed. "And the representatives of the Champions were all quite fortunate I was there. Because if I _hadn't,_ not only would we have _four_ critically injured and potentially _dead_ Champions as the result of Anakin's...outburst, but I also wouldn't have been able to perform a D-Secure on Super Rei."

A beat passed before Ahsoka replied, "Then...she will recover?"

"Looks that way," Mari reported, despite the fact that Michiru had already given Rei the all clear.

"Then no harm has been done, despite what that child did," Ahsoka went on with clear relief. "That's -"

 _"Wait a second!"_ Asuka exploded, and with the Speed of Mercury, was instantly behind Mari's back and glaring pure death at the Jedi warrior. "What are you trying to pull, putting the blame on _Impulse?!_ That psychotic freak-job you're living with is the one who tried to _blow us all to hell!"_

Ahsoka's expression immediately soured. "My master tried to do nothing but _contain_ the power and rage he's constantly struggling with!" she declared in a fierce tone of voice. "I regret that he was not fully successful, but if that...hyperactive Kath hound had not barged into our quarters and bowled over my master while he was meditating, none of this would have happened!"

"I'm sorry about that!" Shinji declared with a tone of genuine regret. "But I just -!"

"Now I've warned you time and again, nerf herder," Ahsoka went on, no longer anything close to respectful now that she was aware that no lasting physical harm had some to anyone. "It is imperative that my master be allowed to meditate in complete peace! He _must_ be allowed to purge himself of the lingering taint of Palpatine!"

"I get that!" Mari grumbled, trying very hard not to mention that she'd heard this song and dance more times than she cared to count. "Like I said, I know it's important -!"

"If you really felt that way, then you would have warned the Champions of the risks of disturbing him!" Ahsoka declared with increasing ire. "Your masters in Avengers Infinity recognize the necessity of letting him do what he must! So even as simple a creature as you must realize -!"

"It's just that I was worried!" Shinji tried again. "You see -!"

"You know, I'm _really_ getting tired of the attitude you keep shooting my way," Mari growled dangerously. "I realize that I'm no Jedi and all the rest of that crap, but that doesn't give you the right to treat me like Bantha fodder!"

"Perhaps if you were to act like a proper warrior instead of a jumped-up, blaster-happy, Corellian dirt farmer, I would see fit to accommodate you some _modicum_ of respect!" Ahsoka shot back.

"And here I thought I was just a nerf herder!" Mari snarked in response.

"At your _best,_ you are comparable to a nerf herder!" Ahsoka informed her. "At least they contribute something _worthwhile_ to society, instead of -!"

"When I saw that thermal detonator right next to him, I kinda freaked!" Shinji went on. "So I thought I'd -!"

"You want me to contribute something useful?! How about I contribute to your bill for medical treatment when I -!" Mari countered...only for her brain to grind to an immediate halt as Shinji's words registered. And as she swung her gaze towards the speedster, it was clear that everyone else in the room was every bit as surprised and disquieted by his words as the Super Soldier. "Uh...what was that about a thermal detonator?"

 _"That's_ why I went in their apartment!" Shinji quickly explained. "I saw this guy - Anakin - sitting in this big, black pod thing, and I saw what I thought was a thermal detonator in there! So I went to see if that's what it was!"

A beat passed before Michiru asked, "And _was_ it?"

"No," Shinji admitted, prompting a quick sigh of relief from everyone present. A sigh that was proven to be a little too quick when he went on to add, "It was _two dozen_ thermal detonators! All lining the inside of the pod thing he was sitting in! So I tried to get him out of there, but then he -!"

"I think we get the idea, Shinji!" Ranma assured him, his eyes wide with fear and concern even as all eyes fell upon Mari and the ID Card she held.

"Alright. JARVIS?" Mari started, wanting to check something really quick. "I'm sure I'm caught up on all of the memos from the Tower, but just so we're all clear...do we have anything on record about my two headaches having permission to keep thermal detonators in their apartment?"

"No, of course not," JARVIS promptly responded. "All high-yield explosive ordinance such as thermal detonators are to be kept in the armory at all times. No exceptions."

Giving a lopsided frown at this, Mari then wondered, "And were _you_ aware of this stockpile of thermal detonators in their apartment?"

"My sensors show no indication of any ordinance in their room," JARVIS reported. "Nothing save for the personal weaponry and equipment registered as belonging to Ahsoka Tano and Anakin Skywalker."

"So either Impulse saw something that just sorta _looked_ like thermal detonators and panicked over nothing, or someone's been making a monkey out of your sensors," Mari decided even as she turned her gaze towards Shinji.

"Oh, they were _definitely_ thermal detonators!" Shinji quickly insisted. "I handle bomb disposal for the Champions all the time! I know every make and model and how to dismantle them! Also, I dismantled one of the detonators, just to make sure it was real, so -!"

"You _what?!"_ Ahsoka started, clearly surprised by this revelation. "You had no right to do that!"

"Okay, I'm taking that as an open admission that, A: those are indeed _actual_ thermal detonators, which you are _not_ allowed to have in your apartment," Mari began as she returned her focus to Ahsoka, well and truly fed up with this overwhelming pile of bullshit she was surrounded by, "B: you or your master hankey-pankied JARVIS's sensors to make sure that no one knew about it, and C: that I need to contact Avengers Infinity about this little breach! And I'm sure Commander Saotome would be _very_ interested to hear about your shenanigans as well!"

Several seconds passed before Ahsoka replied in a low, stern voice, "Then contact your masters in Avengers Infinity. And tomorrow, I will continue this discussion with you. For now...I must tend to my master."

An instant later, Ahsoka's image disappeared from the ID Card. Leaving Mari to stare at it for a time before groaning. "I take back what I said before," Asuka muttered sourly. "You _do_ deserve a Key to the City. _And_ this overblown Mansion. You deserve all of that, just for having to put up with that bitch and her fruitcake master!"

Heaving a deep sigh, Mari returned her ID Card to her pocket. "So...quick question," she began in a faux carefree manner. "Anybody know what a nerf herder is?"

Taken aback by this unexpected question, the others present glanced about at each other before Shinji hesitantly replied, "Uh...I guess...someone who herds nerfs?"

"Good guess," Mari confirmed with a nod. "It's considered an insult because it was strictly a job for lower-class beings. Especially with the Alderaanian nobility. You know, the upper crust looking down upon the crumbs." A beat passed before she added, "And for those of you wondering what a nerf is, it's a sort of like an ox or a buffalo. Big herd animal, herbivore, smells royally ripe, has black spit that's almost impossible to get out of clothes and is acidic enough to burn bare skin. But I do hear that nerf meat is pretty tasty. Truth is, I've been wanting to have me a nerf steak for a while now, just so I know what the heck it tastes like."

Rei and Ranma exchanged a quick glance before the Kryptonian murmured, "I...see."

"And at this point, you're probably wondering why I'm rambling about nerfs and nerf herders, right? Well, there are a couple good reasons for that," Mari went on, whatever humor in her words quickly fading. "First, I got _so sick_ of being called something that I knew nothing about that I decided to research nerf herders, just so I could find out why the heck I should feel insulted. And secondly...am I the only one who noticed that the kewpie doll didn't look the slightest bit worried about what would happen when I contacted Avengers Infinity and let them know about the thermal detonators?"

"I think we _all_ noticed that one," Ranma muttered sourly.

"You think the people at the Tower already know about this?" Michiru wondered.

"I'm getting the bad feeling that they do. But...that's not gonna stop me from calling the Tower and raising all kinds of hell," Mari declared with a scowl. "Alright, then. Champions, please call Commander Saotome and let her know what happened. I'll contact the Tower and try and get some answers." Giving a mild snort, she then added, "Now, if you'll excuse me...I need to go piss off some people and make their lives utterly and completely miserable."

"Yes, you're so _very_ good at that," Asuka snarked with deep gusto.

"Thank you. I'm quite proud," Mari replied as she departed.

* * *

Author's Notes: And that takes care of Chapter 5! Hope everybody enjoyed!


	6. Exploring Nerima

Disclaimer: I do not own Evangelion, any of the characters or concepts depicted here, or anything associated with them. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Rise of the Extraordinary Avengers

Chapter 6: Exploring Nerima: The Training Journey Begins

"Ah...Avengers Mansion might be a nice place to visit," Ranma the Submariner mused as he strolled down one of the hallways, heading for one of the splendid building's training room for a little exercise before grabbing breakfast. "But I have to admit, I'm looking forward to getting back to Stronghold."

As Ranma took note of the old world charm of the building, as well as the decor and the deluxe treatment that was Avengers-style, he couldn't help but feel that the entire place was a bit overdone. Perhaps it was his pragmatic attitude towards life, not being one for possessions, or maybe it was just the fact that he had long since gotten used to Stronghold and it's minimalistic approach to things, but certain aspects of Avengers Mansion seemed too gaudy to deal with in the long term. It would make a great vacation spot, but it just didn't feel like home to him.

 _Still...there_ are _a few Avengers traditions I wouldn't mind the Champions picking up,_ Ranma couldn't help but think as he passed by one of the portraits of the Avengers present, namely that of Sergeant Hercules in his resplendent armor. _I sure wouldn't object to getting a portrait of myself!_ he decided, pausing to imagine such a picture hanging in the halls of Stronghold, wondering what kind of pose he would strike for such a piece. _And I_ definitely _wouldn't complain if they put in a lounge for Atlanteans like the one I was in last night!_

Pausing to envision such a situation, soaking up the perfect ocean water that was available there, an image made even better by the thought of Captain Marvel Asuka and Super Rei joining him for a drink and a dip, Ranma sighed as he returned his attention towards his current objective. Like many other alternates of Ranma Saotome, he strove to keep in fighting trim, and that meant more than exercise. _Fortunately, I know right where to go for that!_ he thought to himself as he made his way to the training room he and Mari had used the previous day and opened the door. _I wonder if anybody's using -?_

"Brace yourself, girlie!" came a voice from within. A painfully familiar voice. "Because we're about to carve a _smile_ on that face of yours!"

 _What the -?!_ Ranma started, his every sense suddenly on high alert as the doors slid open, revealing...one of the streets of Chicago in the dead of night. A short distance away from him was Mari, who was clad in her battlesuit and had her shield at the ready, and confronting her was the entirety of both the Joker R gang and the Golden Four. It was clear from the blast damage done to the buildings and streets surrounding them all that this battle had been going on for a short while. And at the moment, the hateful harlequin version of Ranma stood a short distance away from Mari...holding a hostage in his arms.

"And you're going to stand by and _let_ us have our fun!" Joker R continued, smiling a smile of pure evil as he tightened his grip on the hapless bystander who had been luckless enough to be snared by the maniac clown, and even know had a knife inches away from his face. "That is unless you want me to give this poor fellow a grin that'll split his face in half!"

 _"No!"_ Ranma roared, acting on sheer instinct as he flung himself towards the crazed alternate of himself. His training immediately kicking in, he shot in and grabbed Joker R by the wrists, his sheer Atlantean might more than enough to pry the clown's arms off and away from his intended victim. He then immediately shot into the air before anyone could respond, depriving both gangs of their leverage on Mari and one of their leaders. "You think that's funny?! Do you?!"

"Oh, it's a panic! I'm sure you'll soon feel the same way!" Joker R replied with his near-perpetual grin. "Here! Have a laugh on me!"

A hiss was all the warning Ranma had, but he had dealt with Joker R in the past, so it was enough. Twisting his body about before the maniacal clown's lapel flower could spray him with whatever toxin it was laden with, he waited just long enough for it to pass before firing off a punch into his twisted mirror image's face that sent him flying into the wall of a nearby building. Where the crazed clown's image sparked and wavered for a few seconds...before being replaced by a humanoid robot.

As the Submariner stared at the robot that was even now falling to the ground in perplexity, a familiar, snarky voice was heard. "Uh, Ranma?" Mari spoke, prompting the Atlantean to turn around and watch as she threw her mighty shield at the Golden Four's Radinov with enough force to bisect the gamma mutant right from the top of her head to her crotch, who then also turned into a robot. Or what was left of a robot. "I don't mind you wanting in on some training," the Super Soldier continued even as she dispatched Harley/Shampoo and Killer Croc/Rei with almost impossible ease. "But would you mind calling ahead? Or asking JARVIS to warn me instead of just...you know? Barging in?"

Watching as the mighty shield returned, lopping off the gamma-mutated May Hopkins' head in the process, Ranma started kicking himself mentally. Of course, this was nothing more than a simulation, a training exercise utilizing some form of Life Model Decoy to simulate two of the worst gangs in Chicago for Mari to rip apart. "Uh...yeah. Sorry about that," he sheepishly apologized. "I didn't think to ask, so..."

"Wasn't there a red light on the door?" Mari wondered as she gave Bane/Hikari a literal splitting headache with her shield.

"No. No, there wasn't," Ranma assured her.

"Ugh...it should've come on as soon as I activated the simulation," Mari grumbled sourly as the simulated Scarecrow/Jinnai swallowed Mari's fist and went down from the experience. "Some of the systems are still a bit glitchy from construction. Sorry about that."

"Hey, no problem! After all, I'm...um..." Ranma frowned as he continued to hover overhead and watch as Mari effortlessly decimated her simulated antagonists.

He had been genuinely impressed by the Super Soldier's prowess in battle and, as an aficionado for the martial arts, Ranma could definitely appreciate the level of skill that she had displayed both during their spar the previous night and as she battled the fakes before her right now. Every move she made blended together so faultlessly that they became as one, a graceful, terrible dance of death against which there was no opening. And it was a dance that did not end until the simulated Goldie was all that was left. And even she did not last long as Mari pounced upon her, knocking the depraved monstrosity onto her back. Watching as Mari hefted up her shield, he then winced somewhat as she brought it back down upon the simulated Goldie's neck, effortlessly cleaving it in two. "Ouch," Ranma groaned as the head rolled away from the body, the illusion that it was Goldie's rapidly fading, but it was still no less disquieting. "Glad that wasn't me!"

"Yeah. Uncle Steve used that move a few times himself," Mari noted as she stood and surveyed the carnage of her campaign. "First time he did it, it was on the Baron Blood of his home universe. Then he had to use it to take down Ultron."

A beat passed as Ranma processed this name. "Ultron? But - hold on!" he started even as he flew down to land near where Mari was. "I thought his body was armored with adamantium!"

"It was! Well, _secondary_ adamantium, anyway! But that's still no match for a shield made of vibranium and _proto_ -adamantium!" Mari declared with a slight smile. "JARVIS, end simulation! And send me a fruit punch while you're at it? I'm a bit dry here."

"Very good, Captain Makinami," came JARVIS's voice, and a moment later, the scenery around them changed. The streets and night sky of Chicago slowly faded away, and even as they were replaced by a plain metal room, a section of the wall opened up, revealing one of the robotic waiters that catered to the people of the Mansion, holding a tray with a can of fruit punch on it.

 _Okay. I have to admit that I wouldn't mind having this kind of service while I'm training at Stronghold,_ Ranma couldn't help but admit, at least to himself. What he actually said was, "Sorry for butting in like that. I just...I didn't even think! As soon as I saw that...that _clown,_ I...I just...!"

"No, no. It's okay, I get it," Mari assured the Atlantean. "It sucks, seeing such completely screwed up versions of you, doesn't it?"

"Feh! Like you wouldn't believe!" Ranma muttered, still able to remember the very first time he'd laid eyes on the twisted aberration that, in another universe, had been him. "Just thinking about the things that he's done, what he _is,_ and the fact that he's - well, a _version_ of me...!"

"I hear that," Mari admitted with a nod even as she cracked open the can and easily chugged down some of her drink. "I still get royally POed every time I think about the Deadpool version of me that got me on probation that one time."

This statement caught Ranma's attention, causing his eyes to go wide. "Wait a sec...a _Deadpool_ version of you?"

"That's right," Mari confirmed with a sour nod as the serving robot collected the can and cleaned up whatever punch had dribbled out of it.

A few seconds passed as Ranma tried to wrap his brain around that particular image. "You mean...there's an alt of you...that's also _Deadpool?!"_

"Yup!" Mari unhappily confirmed. "And that's one of the few things that I honestly wish I _could_ forget!"

 _So do I!_ Ranma couldn't help but think as he took the stability of a standard Mari Illustrious Makinami and gave her the obscene level of insanity that your regular Deadpool alt had. Shuddering in horror at what this added up to, the Atlantean quickly forced this terror to the side before focusing on the moment. "So, uh...I didn't realize that I would have competition for a training room."

"You wouldn't have normally. Unfortunately, some systems are on the blink with all the work going on. So this is the only training room that's online right now," Mari reported with a slight scowl. "I'm just glad I managed to grab it before anybody else got up. I was in _serious_ need of some punching bags!"

As these words sounded, Ranma sighed in realization. "So, I'm guessing your call to the Tower went about as well as we figured it would?"

"Bingo," Mari grumbled as she finished her juice and tossed away the can. "Turns out that my two headaches not only had special permission to have those thermal detonators in their room, but they were specially installed in Sentry Skywalker's meditation chamber as soon as we moved in. The people responsible also disabled JARVIS's sensors in there. At least enough so that the only way to find out about the damned things was to actually look in their room!"

"Oh, joy," Ranma grumbled sourly. "What about your Uncle? Did he know about it? And why'd the people back at the Tower pull this one on you, anyway?

"Uncle Steve? He was about as thrilled as we were when he found out," Mari declared sourly. "And as for the why...according to the Iron Jerk I talked to, they didn't feel it 'necessary' for us to know. The thermal detonators were set up so that they only had a very small explosive radius, so the damage to the rest of the Mansion would be minimal if our Sentry ever decided to vaporize himself. And that, given my 'lack of experience as a team leader', as well as our general situation here, public knowledge of the detonators would only be...disruptive."

"Great. Just perfect," Ranma grumbled sourly. "So basically, what you're saying is that Ahsoka and your Sentry just got a free pass for almost killing Rei and all the rest of it. Is that it?"

"That's the story, morning glory. Now you understand why I desperately needed to punch some stuff." Then Mari scowled before adding, "Of course, that's not the _only_ reason..." When Ranma made a quizzical noise at this, the Super Soldier shook her head. "Sorry. I...let's just say I've got _another_ problem to deal with, and...well, it's kind of personal." Then she frowned and looked about the training room. "Look, I...if you want to go a few rounds, or..."

"Naw, forget it," Ranma decided with a scowl, no longer in the mood now that he had heard this day's bad news. "Let's just get something to eat and get going. We've still got a lot of work to do."

"Works for me," Mari declared, and so she started towards the door. But before they were even halfway to it, the doors slid open and revealed two figures.

The first was a male of about Ranma's height wearing a Spider-Man suit that seemed to take elements from the 2099 style Spidey costume but looked like a form of transmetallic armor that flowed like it was organic. And the Spider insignia on his chest looked less like a skull and bore some resemblance to the Maximal symbol. The other was a female who was roughly the same height wearing a costume of the same armored material and looked like a dark blue and pink version of the Jessica Drew costume, but instead of the typical mask that costume had, this one had more of a pink ninja mask that only covered the lower half of her face, revealing the face of a Caucasian woman with piercing, almost electric-blue eyes, and dark blue hair.

"Oh! Sorry!" cried out what was clearly a Spider-Man alt in clear dismay. "I...hope we weren't interrupting anything!"

"You didn't. Just a bit of training, that's it," Mari assured them. "You and Silk have the place all to yourselves."

"Thanks. We were...hoping to practice web-swinging a bit more," the Spider-Man nervously explained.

"Among other things," Silk chimed in even as her hands folded and shifted about, immediately revealing a pair of blasters. Even as Ranma was dealing with the surprise of this, Silk smiled beneath her mask. "Shall we get to work, Jack?"

"After you, Arcee," Jack nodded as the two of them started past Mari and Ranma.

"Just be sure to lock up after yourselves! I don't want anybody busting in you like _last time!"_ Mari called out even as she exited the training room with Ranma a short distance behind. Soon, the doors of the training room had closed behind them both, with a red light switching on as well. "And I sure hope that the door actually locks..."

"Sure is a pain, having all this stuff acting up on you," Ranma decided with a sympathetic look. "Still, what was up with those two? Why would Spiders want to _practice_ web-swinging?! I thought they were all naturals at it!"

"For the most part, yeah. But Jack and Arcee - Spider-Man and Silk, respectively - they're still having a few issues with it," Mari explained. "Jack, he grew up in this little town called Jasper, Nevada. And when I say 'little', I mean that if a building got over two stories tall there, that was considered a big thing,"

"Ah! Gotcha!" Ranma nodded, immediately grasping the situation. "Not the kind of place where you'd pick up web-swinging in a big hurry, huh?"

"Nope," Mari confirmed. "And given that his girlfriend can transform into a motorcycle that can go up walls, I guess neither of them really thought to bother trying it until they saw other Spiders swinging on a web."

"So she _is_ a Cybertronian, then?" Ranma gathered, flashing back to the blasters that had sprung up where Silk's hands had been. "Pretender technology?"

"They both are. Well, sort of," Mari explained even as Ranma felt his confusion deepening. "Evil Decepticon vampire, cybernetic goo, emergency transformations...let's just say their origin isn't as simple as being bitten by a radioactive spider and leave it at that."

"Yeah. I'm getting that!" Ranma nodded, not sure if he even wanted to hear the whole thing. "But, uh...if you don't mind my asking...what did you mean about you wanting them to lock up after themselves? Did something happen?"

"Oh, nothing much. Except for the fact that I give them about...oh, half an hour at best before they drop whatever training they're doing and start exercising in a _different_ way!" Mari grumbled in a good-natured fashion.

"Ah. I get it," Ranma replied with a slight roll of his eyes. "So they're in a relationship, and...they aren't exactly trying to hide it."

"If they are, then they've failed _epically!_ Every time I've run into them, they've stunk to high heaven of having done the dirty deed!" Mari informed him. "You should've been here before the Mansion's white noise insulation was operational. I was passing by their place one night, and I could hear furniture smashing, growls and grunts and snarls like a bunch of wild animals...and that was _before_ they hit the high notes!" Letting out a low whistle at this, Ranma watched as the Super Soldier shook her head and declared, "Honestly, I wish they'd just get married and get it over with already! Seriously! It's not like they even _look_ at anybody else! The instant they're in the same room, it's like they're the _only_ ones in the room as far as they're concerned!"

Nodding to this, Ranma then watched as Mari continued forward, her eyes lowering somewhat to the floor. The smile she wore taking on a different cast. A bit of sorrow, a touch of envy, and other emotions as well. "What's the matter?" he wondered, taking her by surprise. "From the way you're talking, you almost sound like you're... _jealous_ of them."

Meeting Ranma's gaze, Mari sighed. "I guess I am...at least a little," she finally admitted. "I...it's just that...ever since Goldilocks and Al hooked up, she's been acting more and more the way she was back in the pre-Coreline days. And the way those two are when they're together...you'd get diabetes just from looking at them. I swear it." The Super Soldier then frowned slightly as they continued forward. "Then there's Doc Shikigami and his girl, Nova. Aw, man..."

"You have an alt of Nova here as well?" Ranma wondered with a raised eyebrow. "Herald of Galactus, or Xandarian Nova Corps?"

"Xandarian Nova Corps," Mari promptly assured him. "A Demon Slayer named Sango. Was in the modern world with her boyfriend, bumped into a dying member of the Nova Corps, inherited his power...you know, the usual."

"And damn if it isn't scary if we can call something like _that_ 'the usual'!" Ranma declared with a wry shake of his head.

"So...anyway, I...I guess sometimes I just start wondering what it's like to...well, you know?" Mari went on in a somber fashion. "Be in a relationship like that. To have someone...to feel something so...special..."

"Then why don't you try to find out?" Ranma wondered with a raised eyebrow. "I've noticed a few guys on this team! Or you can try one of the Superhero Dating Services! There are plenty of those available!"

"Who'd want to date a girl who might give them Mari Cooties?" Mari wondered in a more self-deprecating tone. "Besides, with everything that's been going on, getting the Mansion established, trying to work things out with the team, training and all the rest of it...who has time for dating, anyway?"

"Those two back there apparently make time," Ranma promptly pointed out. "And from what you've just said, there are others here who are in good relationships. So they have time as well." A beat passed as he came up alongside her and smiled. "Hey, it's only a matter of time before the Mansion's fixed up and the Fourth of July is over. Then if you want, I know a few guys who can get you in on the Chicago dating scene."

"Yeah. Sure," Mari replied even as they arrived in what looked like a large study with a small library. Then she wrapped her arms about herself and shook her head slowly. "Look...Ranma?" At this, the Atlantean cocked his head to the side, for while he didn't know this Mari particularly well, he had learned enough to realize that something was off with her. "Be honest with me; do you think that I've got what it takes to lead this team? Can you actually picture a girl like me in command?"

Several seconds passed as Ranma studied this loaded question from all angles. "In all honesty?" he hesitantly replied, really wishing that she hadn't put him in this position. "I think you're a great fighter, and...well, I think I can see you handling strategy for a team. But if you're asking if I can see you in overall command, handling an administrative situation like Commander Saotome does...then..."

Unable to speak his mind, Ranma just shook his head. To which Mari nodded and sighed. "Yeah, that's what I thought," she murmured somberly before sitting down on a nearby sofa. Studying the table before her as if in search for the answers to the problems that plagued her, she grunted sourly. "I...look! I'm a _fighter!_ Okay?! And I'd like to think I'm a pretty damned good one!"

"I won't argue with you on that one!" Ranma promptly assured her.

"But all this...bureaucratic bullshit I've been dealing with ever since we set up shop here?! All the arguments, the supply issues, the problems, and Governor Asshole putting everyone in danger by acting like there's even a _chance_ that the Joker R gang and Golden Four won't show up to wreck his big ceremony?! I _hate_ all this shit!" Mari vehemently decreed. "I hate _politics!_ I hate _bureaucracy!_ And I hate having to waste my time on it! I'd rather be out taking down the local scum population, one crook at a time!"

"I know how you feel. Believe me," Ranma assured her. As Mari continued to sit there, wrestling with her frustration, the Atlantean wondered, "So...tell me something...how _did_ you wind up heading things up here, anyway?"

Giving a sideways frown, Mari seemed to consider this for a moment before shrugging. "Well...I guess that goes back to when Goldilocks and I first landed here. I mean...she had a really good thing going on back home. A good career, stock investments, financial plans, a future in the military, a Ph.D., and then some!" she quickly explained. "All of which went right down the drain the instant we landed here."

Knowing full well how that felt, Ranma nodded in sympathy. "She didn't take it well, did she?"

"Take it well? Ranma, she completely fell apart," Mari informed him in a solemn tone. "It was...it was just awful. Now don't get me wrong, I wasn't exactly thrilled when we wound up here, either. I mean, I...I had family and friends back in my own world as well."

"So did we all," Ranma assured her, feeling his own heart clench at the thought of that which he had lost when the Core Timeline had claimed him.

"Yeah. But, Maria, well she..." Trailing off as if these past times were simply too painful to speak of, the Super Soldier shook her head and continued. "Anyway, when we were given a place to live, I...well, let's just say that I wound up having to take care of things for a while. Hold down the fort until she...she was back in shape enough to help out."

"And by that time, you'd been in charge for so long that you both just...stuck with it," Ranma nodded, understanding how that would happen.

"Pretty much. And when we were establishing ourselves as a team with the Avengers...Goldilocks, she just kept following my lead. Al, he didn't want the job. Neither did Mana; she prefers working in her lab to bamming out battle strategies. And Glit...no. She's a great gal to have around for parties, but a leader...no offense, but just _no."_ Chuckling at this, Ranma nodded his understanding as Mari continued. "Anyway, that seemed to work out pretty well. Or at least, at first it did. Then we picked up Zuko, and..."

"And that's when your problems started, huh?" Ranma gathered.

"Oh, yeah. Yep, he was a serious head-case. Lost his girl, lost his country, lost everything when he and Azula tried to settle the score for the last time. And when he wound up on the team, he lost no time in making it clear that he felt someone else needed to be running the show. And by 'someone else', I mean him." Then Mari heaved a deep sigh before shaking her head. "Then later we started picking up others. Some of them with serious leadership experience. And with each of them...the arguments, they got worse. The doubts, the discussions...and then when we all shipped out here...!"

"I see," Ranma nodded in absolute sympathy. "But the way I hear it, most of the people on your team have only been in the Core Timeline for less than a year. Some of them a _lot_ less. So..."

"So maybe the folks on top left me in charge because I know this crazy-quilt world better than the others? I thought of that one," Mari admitted. Then she just sighed and muttered, "Still...if this job winds up forcing me behind a desk, trying to battle paperwork instead of supervillains, I think I will have a nice, refreshing nervous breakdown. Like I said, I'm a _fighter!_ I fight _bad guys!_ Not red tape!"

"You certainly do _fight,_ alright!" Ranma admitted with a nod. "And I should know! I haven't met too many people who can keep up with me the way you did yesterday!" As Mari replied with an appreciative chuckle, the Atlantean gave a slight frown. "Come to think of it...how'd you ever get to be as good as you are? I mean...I've seen a few Captain Americas, and while they're all definitely good fighters, I don't see them going in for the kind of stuff that you do."

"Then you haven't seen my Uncle Steve," Mari informed him in no uncertain terms. "He's gotten to the point where he does his workouts in a gravity room!"

"He went to that martial arts academy, didn't he? The one Stingray Industries has been working with Stark Industries, Wayne Enterprises, and all the others to establish?" Ranma wondered with a note of interest.

"Yeah. That was a trial run to see how well an academy like that would work before it actually opened for business," Mari informed him. "It's up and running, but still, there's only the one right now. And thanks to a bunch of dipshits who think that lives aren't worth as much as a single dollar bill out of their bank accounts, funding is still tight and there's a long list of people waiting in line for a chance to sign up and broaden their skills."

"I know. _I_ signed up for a chance to get some training there, but _dammit!_ The waiting list is beyond belief!" Ranma sourly declared. Then he gave Mari a look and wondered, "What about you? Did you sign up for a shot at it?"

"Oh, you _know_ I did!" Mari promptly assured him. "But like you said, the waiting list is huge, and..." Pausing to shrug, she then gave an evil smirk. "I'm just glad that Uncle Steve gave me some training on the stuff that he'd learned there while I was still at the Tower!"

"Yeah, I kinda figured he had! Don't forget that I saw what you did to Nadia and the others!" Ranma reminded her. "But I _also_ saw videos of what you did to Goldie's puppet on the last Fourth of July, so I know you had some serious skills even before then. So...how'd you wind up like that? Going for such advanced martial arts?"

A few seconds passed as Mari considered this, several emotions flitting across her face. "Well...it's far from an original line, but...it's kind of a long story."

"Then you can tell me about it over breakfast," Ranma decided, only to wince when his stomach growled at the mentioning of food. "And speaking of which...shouldn't we head to the kitchen, or can we just order something?"

"Oh, we can order something," Mari assured him with a wry look. "JARVIS? I'd like an order of omelet puffs with spinach, onions, and chicken, a bowl of banana oatmeal, and a side of turkey sausages. And be sure to throw in a pitcher of orange juice. Send it to the study."

"Certainly, Captain Makinami," JARVIS replied almost immediately. "And what about Submariner Ranma? Would he like anything in particular?"

Once again a bit staggered by the accommodations available at the Mansion and deciding that easy order breakfasts were another bit of luxury he wouldn't mind, Ranma hesitated a moment before asking, "Uh...can I have a large bowl of rice, two raw eggs, broiled salmon, and some miso soup?"

"Certainly," JARVIS assured him.

"Okay, then...sure. Make me that, and...I'll share that pitcher of orange juice Mari ordered," Ranma finally decided."

"Very good, sir," JARVIS replied easily. "Both meals are already in production and will be sent to your location as soon as they're ready."

Shaking his head in disbelief, Ranma sat himself down in a chair near where Mari was. "Talk about a smart house," he muttered. Then he frowned and wondered, "Is JARVIS a good chef?"

"He's pretty good. I still prefer handmade food, but there's something to be said for convenience. Especially when life gets hectic," Mari admitted. "Which is a lot."

"No kidding!" Ranma declared. "So, uh...while we're waiting for breakfast...why don't you start with that long story you mentioned?"

A beat passed before Mari shrugged. "Okay, then. Let's set the Wayback Machine to a time shortly after Goldilocks had been scouted by the Champions," she began easily. "Now, I'm sure you know some of the details of my life, right? Goldilocks go an interview with a Sasuke Uchiha who was interested in her, gave him the middle finger when he made it clear that he didn't want his branch of the Champions coming down with Mari Cooties, and we were still stuck without much in the way of options for getting ourselves a better life."

"Yeah, I heard all about that," Ranma confirmed with a nod.

"So you can imagine just how I felt after something like that," Mari continued with a scowl. "At first...I was just in shock over the whole thing. Now I _knew_ about the whole thing about alternates and there being different versions of different people. I got a big lesson about that when the person who was assigned to help us find a home turned out to be an alternate of Gendo Ikari, someone whom I had taken _great pleasure_ in beating the shit out of back where I came from. But I hadn't met any other versions of me, so...the fact that we had such a bad reputation that people would turn me down for a job...I just couldn't believe it. So...I spent some time trying to figure it out. And eventually, I...I decided that there had to be another reason for them not wanting me; that I wasn't powerful enough or good enough to measure up to Stingray Industries' standards."

"That's not true," Ranma immediately protested. "I know a couple Champions branches with their own versions of Captain America, and you've got them beat in the power _and_ skill departments! And besides, you don't have to have special powers to 'measure up'!"

"I know, I know! I found out about that later!" Mari immediately assured him. "But back then, I didn't. I really couldn't think of anything else, and I couldn't accept...well, you know. So...I decided that there was only one thing I could do; I had to up my game somehow. And probably Goldilocks' game as well. I mean, don't get me wrong; as Thunderstrike, she's a goddess, and I mean that literally. But without her hammer Storm Bringer -"

"I know. I've met a couple folks with Asgardian hammers and weapons," Ranma assured her. "They lose their powers if they're out of contact with them for more than a minute."

"So I figured that upping her game as well could only be a good thing," Mari went on. "But that brought me to the next problem; namely, how to do it?" When Ranma frowned at this, the Super Soldier went on to explain, "I mean, there are plenty of companies who specialize in giving people super serums and power amplifiers and that sort of thing. Any one of which would have put me on a whole new level. But...the problem with that was that treatments like that are _beyond_ expensive! Stuff like gammaroids and Venom are both dangerous _and_ illegal. And after what happened with the first version of the Super Soldier Serum SHIELD used on me -"

 _"First_ version?!" Ranma started, clearly surprised by this. "You mean you've had more than one version?"

Nodding to this, Mari shrugged and explained, "I don't like talking about it, but...there was a...a problem with the first version they gave me. A _bad_ one. So I needed a second version of it made specifically to counteract what the first one was doing to me."

Not liking either the sound of this or the shadows flitting in Mari's eyes, Ranma wondered, "You mean it was defective?"

"Worse," Mari cryptically replied. Pausing to heave a deep breath, she then shook her head free of such things before continuing. "Anyway, after that, I didn't want to try dumping any other junk into my body. Not when I didn't know what would happen when it met the Super Soldier Serum that had already been ladled into me and started tangoing. So something like that was out." Heaving a deep sigh, she then looked Ranma squarely in the eye and added, "But then...I thought of something. People tend to make a big deal about DBs like Goku or Vegeta or Piccolo, or ninjas like Naruto or Sasuke, or metas like Superman or Thor. But they tend to forget folks like Krillin, Tien, Yamcha, Chiaotzu, Might Guy, Rock Lee, and others. People who _don't_ have any special powers or lineages. People who weren't super-aliens or had demons inside of them or whatever. That were basically ordinary humans, who had to _earn_ every scrap of power they had...but that didn't stop them from kicking ass in a way that would put a lot of folks to shame!" As Ranma nodded to this, Mari leaned in a bit closer to him. "And then I realized that I had something else that folks like Superman or a Hulk or even like you _don't_ have. A special power, all right up in here," she intoned, pointing at her head. "See, the Super Soldier Serum didn't just boost my body, but it also augmented my brain, my _mind!_ It gave me a _perfect_ memory! The ability to copy almost any skill, just by seeing it _once!_ And then I thought about folks like Karate Kid from the Legion of Superheroes! That guy was able to hold his own against an alternate of _Superman_ and with nothing more than pure martial arts! Alts of Batman and Deathstroke, and how they've been able to take down entire versions of the Justice League!" Giving this a moment to sink in, the Super Soldier then went on to add, "And then I learned about alts of the Sentry, and how their power came from a version of the Super Soldier Serum used to create alts of Captain America! To create _me!_ Ordinary humans with the power of a million exploding suns! All thanks to a serum based on what was _already_ inside of me!"

"So you figured that...what? Maybe you could achieve that level of power yourself?" Ranma wondered somewhat suspiciously.

"Maybe, maybe not! But the more I thought about it, the more I felt like...I could do _better!_ If I could just push what I already had in the right direction...I wasn't expecting to be able to out-wrestle a gamma mutant or bitch-slap Galactus! But I _did_ realize that there was a whole new level I could reach if I _worked_ for it!" Mari explained with mounting energy. "And unless I wanted to go through what happened with that Sasuke alt again...wanted to watch Goldilocks turn down _another_ chance at a new life, just because some dipshit didn't think I was good enough to waste their time on...I felt like I didn't have any other choice but to do just that!"

Pausing to consider Mari's words for a moment, Ranma then asked, "So...what did you do?"

"Well, the first thing I realized was that I wasn't going to be able to get much accomplished on my own. I did some experimenting with chi and so on from stuff I found online and wasn't able to do anything with it," Mari admitted. "On top of that, whatever it was that had pulled us both into this Coreline did something to mess up my magical abilities, and my hocus pocus was still out of focus."

"I'm not surprised," Ranma promptly admitted. "I've heard about wizards and other magic users having trouble with that sort of thing. Something about the difference in the dimensions and how they work disrupts their magic, so it takes them a while to get back their usual level of power and skill."

"I know. Doc Shikigami mentioned going through the same thing," Mari replied. "But the bottom line is, if we were going to do this, we couldn't just learn by watching someone else. We needed to find someone who would be willing to teach us. To _train_ us!" As Ranma silently decided this made sense, the Super Soldier went on to explain, "Which led to our next problem; namely, where to look for training."

"What do you mean?" Ranma wondered. "There are plenty of places in the world where you can learn martial arts!"

"Yeah, but don't forget that money was something we weren't exactly swimming in, so we had to be choosy," Mari reminded him. "Also, I realized that we had to find something in the Goldilocks Zone of martial arts." When Ranma frowned quizzically, the shield wielder groaned somewhat before explaining, "I'm not talking about Maria here! I mean...what we needed was just the right level of trainer! I'd already done advanced martial arts training under SHIELD, which meant your human and peak human fighting styles. And I'd used that to train Maria, so going for training on that level wouldn't have done us any good. But I didn't want to go looking for a DB like Master Roshi or anything like that because I wanted to avoid us getting in over our heads right from the word go."

"So...the Goldilocks Zone," Ranma nodded in realization. "Not too hard, not too easy, but something that was just right."

"Exactly!" Mari confirmed. "And after studying different places that did martial arts and taking our financial situation into consideration, I figured that our best bet was Nerima, Japan. Plenty of people into martial arts, not the kind of place for the wealthy, so I figured that it would be as good a place as any to get our feet wet. Goldilocks and I both spoke Japanese, so there would be no language barrier. And if it came down to it, we could always try to find a part-time job in order to help cover any expenses."

Deciding that this made as much sense as anything, Ranma then wondered, "So...what then? Did you just take the _American Dream_ and fly on over to Japan?"

"That's what I wanted to do. But Goldilocks, she has more restraint than I do and suggested that before we tried something like that, we should at least scout the terrain out first," Mari informed him. "So, at her suggestion, we used Storm Bringer to generate a portal that would land us about a mile outside of Nerima. I went in civilian mode; no battlesuit, no real muscle, and she would change back to being plain old Goldilocks as soon as we got there so we wouldn't attract attention."

"So what happened next?" Ranma wondered.

"In the Core Timeline, what else would happen?" Mari replied rhetorically. "Shit started hitting the fan."

* * *

"I really wish you'd left your shield back home," Maria muttered beneath her breath as she and Mari walked along the streets of Nerima. A place that looked about as unremarkable to the eye as was possible. Plain old Japanese streets, plain old Japanese buildings, and next to them, a plain old Japanese river with a fence lining it.

"And _I_ wish you'd let it go, Goldilocks!" Mari replied in a hushed fashion as she strode the streets in a uniform very much like the school uniform that alternates of her were famed for wearing. "I wasn't about to leave my shield behind! Not after what happened with that Rocket Raccoon!"

"That was a one-time thing! I'm sure Tai wouldn't have let something like that happen again!" Maria protested, garbed in a dress with a knee-length jacket. "Besides, I thought we agreed we didn't want to attract attention!"

"What are you talking about?" Mari wondered as she jerked her thumb at her shield. "It's not like anybody can see it! It's in a backpack!"

"In a _shield-shaped_ backpack! That's not what I'd call common anywhere!" Maria protested as she glared at the discus-shaped satchel that hung from Mari's back. "Besides, we're only going to be gone for a short while, and Tai would call us if anything went wrong! What do you think could happen?"

"You mean besides us getting home to find my shield out of its safe storage unit and collecting bids on Ebay?!" Mari demanded in a slightly more temperamental fashion. _"No way_ I'm taking that chance!"

"Mari..."

"I _said_ no, and I _meant_ no! There's no way I'm leaving this lying around anywhere!" Mari decreed in finality. "I'd rather have left my _clothes_ behind than this shield! Got that?!" When Maria groaned despairingly, having plainly had her fill of this argument, the Super Soldier glanced about and muttered, "Now...this place is supposed to be the home of some Matrix-style martial arts craziness. So...where's all the crazy?"

An instant later, as if in response to Mari's words, a wrathful female voice was heard screaming, "Give them back, _you pervert!"_

"Not a chance, sweetie!" came another voice, a male that sounded like he was in his teens. "These silky darlings are all mine now!"

"I _said,_ give them back!" the woman cried out again, and from the sound of things, both voices were getting closer.

"You were saying?" Maria wondered in a rather sarcastic manner. "C'mon, let's get out of sight!"

Deciding that this was probably good advice, Mari followed Maria towards a nearby alley. Ducking beneath a dumpster, they kept watch on the street they had just vacated. Even as the Super Soldier's keen sense of hearing allowed her to keep track of the approaching people. Leaving the two girls little to do but wait and see what happened next.

They didn't have to wait long. They were soon greeted by the sight of a boy in his teens, looking to be little older than they were running along the top of the fence, a stereotypical sack of loot on his back that was filled to overflowing with what looked like lingerie. Mari didn't recognize him as an alternate of any of the troublemakers known to run rampant through Nerima, but she instantly hated the asinine grin he sported.

It soon became clear Mari wasn't the only one who was antagonistic towards the boy in question. A girl in a blue dress and white shirt armed with a broom soon appeared and tried to bash his brains out with it. "Give 'em back already, _you lousy pervert!"_ she shrieked as she landed on the fence right behind him. Mari didn't recognize her, either, but she _did_ recognize the expression of absolute rage she wore. "Do you have any idea how much all that underwear costs?!"

"Why do you think I don't bother _buying_ it?!" the pervert in question replied, still grinning as he turned to face his apparent victim. "Besides, store-bought lacey undergarments don't come with a pretty girly's scent!" At this, the shameless perv brought forth a pair of panties and made a show of sniffing them. His grin broadened and his eyes aimed up towards the heavens as he sighed in an almost orgasmic manner. "Ah...such sweet bliss!"

"That's it!" Mari groused even as the girl snarled hatefully. "This guy's getting a beating!"

Without hesitation, Mari started to rise to her feet. But before she could break cover, she felt a hand on her shoulder, restraining her. "Hold on!" Maria protested, scowling somewhat. "We agreed that we would _avoid_ attracting attention!"

"But that freak's _begging_ for a pounding!" Mari immediately protested. "I can't just stand around while he robs people blind!"

"I know, but don't forget why we came here in the first place! The last thing we want is to attract the wrong kind of attention!" Maria reminded the Super Soldier. "Besides, this gives us the perfect chance!"

"What do you mean?!" Mari wondered even as the girl screamed her lungs out in pure disgust at the pervert's antics.

"Look at the way they're both balancing on top of that fence! It's like they're not even thinking about it!" Maria explained, her eyes narrowed intently. "Nerima's supposed to be famous for martial arts! So I'm guessing that those two have both had some training!"

A beat passed as Mari saw the validity to her friend's words. Watching as the girl swung her broom at the pervert and watching him effortlessly dodge the strikes, it became clear that your average John and Jane Q Citizen wouldn't have been able to retain his or her balance while on top of the narrow fence. Meaning that the both of them had to have excellent senses of balance, to say the least.

"Let's wait and see if they have any moves you can copy. At least then we can get some idea of just what kind of skill level people have around here," Maria continued in a low, calculated manner. "If the girl can take care of him, then fine! If not, I can use Storm Bringer to take him down without giving us away!"

Sorely tempted to state that such a tactic wouldn't be as enjoyable as punching the living daylights out of the freak, Mari was brought back to the moment when the girl screeched, "Ugh, you _disgust me!"_ With that, she launched into a barrage of attacks, using her broom as a quarterstaff. All the while the pervert moved to evade the blows.

"Go for it! Copy their moves!" Maria urged Mari, but the Super Soldier was already on it. Her eyes were wide, taking in everything the two combatants were doing. Every move they made.

And yet...

"I...!" Mari started as the fight continued. Her mind emptied by the shock of the reality before her. "I...can't!"

As these words sounded, Maria sputtered for a moment before finally getting out, "Wait...what?! Wh-what do you mean, you _can't?!_ You can copy almost _anything!"_

"Their moves...they're so _fast!"_ Mari breathed in amazement even as her augmented eyes took in the display of attacks and evasions being presented to her. Even though her perceptions and abilities weren't as sharp in her human form as they were when she went Super Soldier, they should have still been more than enough to track the motions of any unpowered human.

But this time...

"I...I can barely keep up!" Mari went on, caught between astonishment and awe. "They're...a _blur_ to me...!"

"Wee-hee! This was some good exercise, cutie-pie!" the pervert declared with clear glee as he bounded out of range of the girl's broom. "But I've got plenty more places to go and more of my silky darlings to collect!"

Without hesitation, the pervert bounded out of view. Leaving the girl to screech in frustration before renewing her pursuit. Leaving the two girls to remain crouched where they were for a few seconds, before Mari's SHIELD training kicked in and booted her in the back of her mind. "What are we doing, standing around with our thumbs up our asses?!" she suddenly demanded. "That pervert's getting away! Goldilocks!"

"Right!" Maria immediately replied, already snatching the crucifix pendant from her neck and striking it upon the ground. A sudden burst of lightning struck her, instantly transforming her into Thunderstrike.

A beat passed as Mari realized that there was a chance of lightning striking out of the middle of nowhere attracting the kind of attention Maria had been opposed to, but then she decided that there was nothing for it now. And if what she had heard about Nerima's level of insane was even half accurate, the odds of people actually caring or noticing were fairly slim. So she decided to just roll with it and darted out from behind the dumpster, taking up a position at the corner of the alley. "Okay, there he goes!" Mari announced as the pervert continued to dart along the top of the fence. "Now throw Storm Bringer so that it goes past him and have it attack him from the front!"

"From the front?!" Thunderstrike repeated querulously. "But he'll see it coming!"

"Not if he keeps looking back at the girl chasing him, he won't!" Mari countered as her keen eyes allowed her to see that the pervert was indeed focusing on his pursuer and not the path ahead. "Just go ahead and let that hammer fly!"

Thunderstrike hesitated but for a moment before she whipped Storm Bringer back and sent it flying into the air. Mari didn't bother watching as the golden hammer flew forth; her focus was on the pervert and his pursuer. While the chase scene she was watching was like something out of a zany anime, Mari could see the level of skill that was required in order to make such a pursuit look so effortless. The sheer precision of a person's sense of balance, their ability to remain aware of their surroundings at all times, running at full speed on such a narrow stretch with such casual ease.

And these were apparently just ordinary humans. No special powers or abilities. Just people like someone Mari would meet out on the streets.

"Is the foul fiend still looking backward?" Thunderstrike wondered.

"Sure is!" Mari confirmed with a nod. "So let him have it!"

"Oh, are you still chasing me, hot stuff?" the pervert wondered even as Storm Bringer arched down from above. "I _knew_ that you just couldn't get enough of - huh?!"

At the last minute, the pervert looked away from his pursuer. And while he was definitely fast, Storm Bringer was that much faster. The enchanted Asgardian hammer plowed into his abdomen, coming in from just enough of an angle to knock him off the fence and send him crashing into a nearby building without risk to his pursuer. A cry of pain and a crunch of concrete later, and the perverted panty thief was down for the count, all the while Storm Bringer was returning to its mistress.

"That did it!" Mari grinned with deep satisfaction, watching as the girl glanced about for the hammer that had stopped the thief in his tracks, but ultimately decided she cared more about punishing the pervert than finding out who had helped her. "Now switch back to yourself and let's blow this taco stand! Preferably before anybody starts wondering why we're getting lightning when there's no storm around!"

Thunderstrike started to nod, only to grimace in realization. "Odin's beard...I should have thought of that! I've endangered our cover!"

"And put down a perv in the process!" Mari pointed out, watching as the pervert in question received numerous whacks from the girl's broom, crying out in pain the entire time. "I'd call that a fair trade! But let's get out of here!"

* * *

"You know, I've never actually been to Nerima myself," Ranma confessed, fully aware of the irony of this. "But from what I understand, at least half the people there are perverts, panty thieves, or worse."

"Considering what I saw while I was there, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised," Mari assured him with a wry look.

Snorting mildly at this, Ranma then asked, "So...your copy ability _seriously_ didn't work on those two you saw? Why not?"

"In order for me to copy a move, I have to be able to see the move _clearly,"_ Mari explained. "But the way those two were moving, all I could make out was a blur. I could sort of _track_ their movements, but I couldn't see them clearly enough to be able to copy them. Throw in the fact that I was in civilian mode, and was thus busted down to normal human speed or close to it, and...there you go."

Deciding that made sense, Ranma then frowned and wondered, "Were you bummed about that?"

"Are you kidding? I was more convinced than ever that Nerima was the perfect place for Goldilocks and me to start training!" Mari declared with certainty. "As we wandered around town for a while, we saw a bunch of other crazy stuff! Martial artists going at it, sports being played in Matrix bullet-time, people levitating cars just to parallel park and more! And we're talking about ordinary humans, not metas! Just regular people with training that put them on the next level!"

"From what I've heard, I'm not sure that _anyone_ who lives in Nerima would qualify as 'ordinary'," Ranma decided with a wry smirk. "So...what then? What did you do next?"

"Well, that was easy enough," Mari replied.

* * *

"We need to find a dojo," Mari declared with absolute certainty. "Somewhere we can get the training we need."

"A dojo?" Maria repeated with a slight frown, once again in her human form as the two girls strolled around the barely controlled chaos that was the Nerima Ward.

"Yes, a dojo!" Mari returned, glancing back at her friend as she led the way. "Whatever it is people are doing here to get as good and fast and the rest of it as they are, we're not going to be able to piece it together, just by spying on them. We need someone to _teach_ us how to do it! Show us the motions, point us in the right direction!"

"I realize that, Mari. But I don't think you're thinking things through," Maria protested with a slight frown. "Even assuming you're right about this, and whatever it is the people here are doing actually _is_ something that can be taught, you and I both know that places like dojos are bound to vary in quality. And since we're not from around here, it won't be easy for us to tell which dojos are legitimate, and which are simply cons, or aren't able or willing to teach us what we're here to learn." Then the hammer wielder frowned and added, "And don't forget that we're on a tight budget. We won't be able to afford to go from one dojo to the next, trying to find just the right one. Which means we're going to have to spend our time studying the various dojos here, and finding out precisely which ones would be willing to teach us, and which we can actually afford."

"Relax, Goldilocks! I know all that!" Mari promptly assured her. "All it means is that we're just gonna have to spend some time, scouting the situation! Get some background on the local dojos and figure out which is the right one for us!"

"And how do we are going to do all that?" Maria wondered with a slight frown. "Do you have a plan?"

"Sure I do! We'll find what we need by employing an ancient and time-honored method of acquiring information!" Mari declared...right before smiling and adding, "Namely, asking the locals and looking up every dojo in town! The really good ones are bound to have a reputation that stands out!"

Cocking her head to the side, Maria then wondered, "And who are you going to ask?"

Pausing at this, Mari responded to her friend's challenge by glancing around the area, right before she spotted someone. "Well, how about that lady over there?" she asked, pointing out the woman in question, who was walking down the sidewalk, heading away from the two girls. "She looks like as good a place to start as any to me!"

"Oh, sure. Why not?" Maria muttered in a voice dripping with sarcasm. "Just walk up to her and ask her where all the good dojos are."

"Sounds like a plan to me!" Mari declared before darting up to the woman in question. "Uh, excuse me? Miss? I -!"

 _"Aahhhhh!"_ the woman cried out even as Mari closed the gap between the two of them. There was a sudden blur of motion, and before the Super Soldier even knew what had happened, her view was filled with stars and comets. Lightning seemed to shoot through her nervous system. Right before she was sent tumbling through the air, like she was riding on the ultimate roller coaster, and ultimately wound up crashing into a wall.

* * *

 _"That_ was your big plan for finding a dojo?" Ranma wondered in patent disbelief. "Just run around, asking total strangers about the local dojos and hope they could tell you something?"

"I know, I know, not exactly a brilliant strategy," Mari grimaced sourly. "But I couldn't think of anything better at the time. And besides, I couldn't find any decent information about Nerima dojos on the internet before we left. There's just so much crazy per square mile there that I couldn't get anything useful. So I had to hope that word of mouth would at least give us a clue as to where we could start."

"Sounds like a desperation tactic to me," Ranma admitted in a solemn manner.

"I had already watched my best friend throw out her first real chance at a future because of me, Ranma," Mari reminded him in a low voice. "Believe me, I _was_ desperate. _And_ determined to do something about it."

That was something that Ranma couldn't reply to, and in all honesty, he could understand that kind of desperation. "So...what happened next?" he wondered. "You said that woman attacked you?"

"Yes. I kind of freaked her out by charging right at her like that," Mari admitted with a rueful expression. "My fault for getting overexcited. I was just so eager to get something going that I really wasn't thinking that far ahead."

"Obviously," Ranma noted with a touch of snark. "So...who was it that sent the great Captain Mari America flying with a single strike? Was it an alternate of someone I know?"

At this, Mari's rueful expression changed into a look of patent humiliation. "Uhh...yeah. Yeah...most likely, yeah."

"Then who was it?" Ranma immediately wondered. "Ukyo? Shampoo? Kodachi?" A beat passed before he asked, "It wasn't Akane, was it?"

"No, no. It wasn't an Akane alt," Mari promptly assured him.

"Then who was it?" When Mari didn't answer, instead starting to look awfully fidgety, Ranma gave her a look. "Look, we've _all_ had embarrassing stuff happen to us at one time at another! In fact, I happen to remember this one time a certain Super Soldier strolled into Stronghold and handed three of my team one of the biggest embarrassments of their lives!"

"Yeah, but you don't hear them telling everyone about it, do you?" Mari wondered.

"I didn't have to! The whole mess wound up on the front page of the company newsletter!" Ranma declared, smirking somewhat as he looked Mari in the eye. "The whole thing! Complete with you giving Nadia an Offhand Backhand! I thought Asuka was going to have a _meltdown_ when she saw that!"

Her mouth popping open in surprise, Mari groaned sourly. "Aw, _shitballs..._ no wonder she's so pissed about everything! I mean, I figured she wouldn't be too happy when she heard, but I didn't think she'd be _that_ mad about it! I just chalked it up to being that time of the month!"

"Nope! 'Fraid not!" Ranma chuckled somewhat. "So, c'mon! What happened? Who was it that one-shotted you before you could even scream for mercy?"

Groaning deep in her throat, Mari rolled her eyes somewhat before asking, "JARVIS? Just how much longer until breakfast is ready?"

"Approximately five minutes, Captain Makinami," JARVIS easily replied.

Shifting her head to the sides, as if weighing the issue, Mari then sighed. "JARVIS, seal off the study. Lock it up completely and engage white noise screens," she ordered. "And disable all surveillance systems and communications in here until breakfast is ready."

"Captain, are you -?" JARVIS started.

 _"Just do it!"_ Mari ordered impatiently.

A moment or so passed before JARVIS replied, "Very well, then."

"Whoa! You _really_ don't want this getting out!" Ranma noted even as the study was sealed off from the rest of the Mansion. "So who the hell was it? A female version of Gosunkugi?!"

"No." Mari then heaved a deep sigh before going on to say, "Now, listen Ranma. Before I say this, I want you to promise me something!"

"That I won't tell anybody about it? No problem!" Ranma promptly assured her, having already seen that particular condition coming.

"You're sure about that? Because I _really_ don't want this getting out!" Mari decreed in no uncertain terms. "I can just imagine the _field day_ Asuka Marvel would have with this!"

"I _promise_ I won't tell _anybody!_ And that includes Asuka! You have my word as a Champion!" Ranma declared, getting just a bit impatient at this point. "Now go on! Who was it?"

A moment passed as Mari furrowed her brows, right before she said, "Just one more thing." Letting out an exasperated groan, Ranma looked at her with an expression of annoyance and questioning even as she said, "You have to promise that you won't laugh!"

"Not a problem!" Ranma declared.

A beat passed as Mari suspiciously asked, "Word as a Champion?"

"Word as a Champion!" Ranma confirmed, even holding up his hand to give the Scout's honor salute. "Now out with it already! Who was it?!"

At this, Mari issued a heavy sigh of resignation. "Alright, then..." she grumbled with serious bad grace. "It was..."

* * *

"Oh, my! I'm so sorry about that!" cried a gentle woman that looked to be upside down from Mari's perspective. Something the Super Soldier knew to be because she was flat on her back and feeling like she had stars and comets dancing inside her brain. "I thought you might be...well, someone else!"

"Then I really feel sorry for whoever you thought I was when you actually catch up with 'em..." Mari groaned despondently even as Maria knelt at her side.

"Mari! Are...?!" Maria started, clearly as shocked and stunned as the Super Soldier was. "Are you alright?!"

"Oh, sure, Goldilocks. I'm just dandy," Mari grumbled sourly in sheer humiliation. "Aside from a screaming headache, a case of whiplash, and feeling like roadkill, I'm right as rain!"

"I _really_ am sorry about this!" the woman insisted as she knelt next to Mari as well, already moving to assist the shield wielder. Gently grasping one of Mari's shoulders and placing her other hand on her back, she watched as Maria mirrored her movements. "It's just that...well...there's been a lot of theft in the neighborhood lately. Panty thieves, purse snatchers, and worse! It's just been _terrible!"_

"So when Mari came up from behind you, you thought she was a purse snatcher?" Maria wondered even as Mari tried to shake the stars and comets out of her head.

"I didn't know _what_ to think!" the woman confessed with a sorrowful frown. "I was so surprised that I...well...just reacted! I didn't even think about what I was doing until I turned and saw your friend, falling off the wall!"

"Oh, I see..." Mari grumbled as she eyed the woman that had so completely clobbered her, and decided that she looked to be about the most delicate, innocuous, and apparently completely harmless thing the Super Soldier had ever laid eyes on. She had long, brown hair that was bound in a ponytail by a large, pink bow, and was currently resting on her right shoulder. She had doe-like blue eyes that were utterly devoid of malice, and she was wearing a blue dress and an apron that gave her the air of the original happy homemaker right out of a sitcom. "You've got some great reflexes, you know that?"

"Mari..." Maria groaned, as if at her wits' end. "Listen, I'm sorry that my friend startled you. However, we're...we're new in town, and -"

"Oh, there's no need for you to apologize! This was entirely my fault! I shouldn't have overreacted like that!" the woman insisted in a gentle fashion. "I hope I didn't hurt you too badly. Can you stand? Would you like some help?"

"No, no, I...I should be all good," Mari assured the woman, unable to feel the slightest bit upset with her. For in truth, she could see how her over-eagerness could prompt such a reaction in a neighborhood this laden with crazy. And besides, she couldn't even think about getting mad or cursing the woman out without feeling dirty for it. "I've walked off worse," she went on, placing her hands on the ground and moving to stand. "Just let me - _huh?!"_

"Mari?!" Maria wondered, looking more alarmed than annoyed now. "What is it?"

"I - something's wrong with my legs!" Mari reported, more surprised than scared. "I...I can't get them to move! I can _feel_ them, but - they just don't work!"

"Oh, dear! I guess I hit the pressure point after all!" the woman declared with a genuinely mournful look. "You see, I take martial arts lessons, and...well, Grandfather Happy, he showed me all the pressure points needed to disable an opponent without actually hurting them!"

At this point, Mari was becoming more and more impressed with the level of martial arts skill in evidence in Nerima. The woman had not only completely disabled Mari's ability to move in a single strike, but had managed to strike the needed spot to render her legs useless without even turning to look in Mari's direction. "Then I'd say Grandfather Happy knows his stuff," Mari declared, now more curious than anything else. "And so do you."

"Mari!" Maria grumbled in a sour manner, eyeing the Super Soldier in annoyance. "I'd hardly call this the time to be impressed!"

"Eh, relax, Goldilocks," Mari replied even as she shifted about on the ground. "I know a few things about pressure points myself, remember? I should be okay soon enough, and -" It was at that point that the Super Soldier noticed that the woman in question was positioning her delicate arms beneath Mari's legs and at her back. "And what are you doing?!"

"Well, I can't just leave you, lying on the streets like this!" the woman declared without so much as a trace of sarcasm. "Besides, I happen to know a very good doctor. His office is very close by, and I'm sure he'll be more than happy to take care of you."

Her cheeks burning somewhat at this, Mari started to protest, "Now, now, you...you really don't have to do that!"

"Oh, but I insist! It's the least I can do after attacking you like that!" the woman insisted. Then she looked back at Maria and said, "If you'll just follow me, then. I promise it won't be long before we get there." Without even bothering to wait for Maria to reply, the woman started forward, forcing Mari's blonde companion to hurry after them. "I suppose I really should introduce myself. I'm Kasumi Tendo."

"Mari," the Super Soldier replied. "Mari Makinami."

"Oh, my. That's a pretty name," Kasumi beamed angelically even as she turned towards Maria. "And what about you?"

"Maria Vincennes," Maria promptly replied.

"I'm glad to meet you both." Then Kasumi's smile faltered as she abashedly added, "I just wish we were meeting under better circumstances."

 _You and me both,_ Mari groused inwardly, not even wanting to think about what would happen if the Nick Fury of her world were to see her now. "Uh...so, uh...Kasumi, was it?" she began, trying to work around her complete humiliation. "You said you were taking martial arts lessons, right?"

"Oh, yes! From Grandfather Happy!" Kasumi confirmed with a warm smile as she walked along.

A beat passed as Mari considered what she knew. Kasumi was cradling Mari like a baby and showing no strain whatsoever from having to handle the girl's weight. And while the Super Soldier didn't exactly weigh a ton, this still meant that Kasumi had to be considerably stronger than her slender frame would indicate. And to take Mari down so effortlessly meant that she boasted considerable skill. "Well, here's the thing," Mari went on, determined to salvage something from this fiasco. "Goldilocks and I, we're here on sort of a business trip."

"Mari..." Maria spoke in a cautionary manner.

"Really?" Kasumi wondered, her mannerisms completely innocent. "What sort of business?"

"We're here looking for training in the martial arts. And everything we've heard says that there're plenty of good martial arts schools and dojos and teachers to be found in this neck of the woods," Mari promptly explained. "So, I was wondering...any chance you can give us any recommendations? Point us in somebody's direction?"

"Why, of course!" Kasumi replied before Maria could say anything in protest. "As I said, Grandfather Happy is the one who taught me how to defend myself! I'm sure he'd be more than happy to train you two!"

While Mari was beginning to take heart at this, Maria was frowning that much more. "Um, Kasumi?" the blonde began in a fairly diplomatic fashion. "I hope that you don't take what I'm about to say in the wrong way, but...when you say 'Grandfather Happy'...are you referring to an alternate of...?"

"Of Happosai? Yes, I am." But even as Kasumi said these words, she gave Maria a scolding look and went on to say, "Now, I certainly hope that you two wouldn't hold something like that against him. I know that there are several alternates of Grandfather Happy that are...well..."

"Felons?" Maria wondered in as polite a manner as possible. "I mean no offense, but...before we came here, we did research on some of the locals whom we were likely to encounter alternates of, and...I fear that alternates of Happosai are notorious for their criminal endeavors."

"I know. It really is a shame," Kasumi admitted with a look of sadness. "But Grandfather Happy, he really is such a wonderful old man. Kind and thoughtful, and he's always willing to teach young women how to defend themselves from the local troublemakers."

It was clear that Maria wasn't entirely satisfied, and after reading up on some of the horror stories involving most alternates of Happosai, Mari couldn't blame her. If even half of the ludicrous things she had seen online were even remotely true, then most alternates of the aged martial artist were troublemakers of legendary proportions, and people to stay as far away from as was possible unless attractive young things such as the two heroes wanted to be sexually harassed or worse.

But while Mari didn't believe that the Champions had really turned her down solely because of who she was an alternate of, she had met alternates of people she had met in her own world, people that were completely different from the friends and enemies she had once known. The Gendo Ikari who had helped them find a home had been a far cry from the sadistic monster Mari had once taken such great pleasure in punching the lights out of, and alternates of friends were reviled as some of the worst villains of all. So even if most Happosais were depraved panty thieves and all around scum, that didn't mean they _all_ were.

Also, if there was one thing alternates of Happosai were known for, aside from their lust and perversions, it was their considerable skill in the ways of martial arts. Maybe not on the level of DBs, but they were skilled and knowledgeable. And if this Kasumi was any indicator of the training this 'Grandfather Happy' could give a person...

"Then how about you introduce us to him once we're done at this doctor's office?" Mari suggested with greater hope. "The sooner we can get going, the sooner we can get training!"

"Oh, my! Aren't you an eager thing!" Kasumi declared with a tender smile.

As Maria gave Mari a look that made it clear she felt the Super Soldier was perhaps being a bit too eager, she went on to say, "However, there are a few issues that we would need to discuss before anything is finalized. First of all, I feel I should mention that we do not have much money, so -"

"Oh, that's no problem! No problem at all!" Kasumi promptly assured Maria. "Grandfather Happy has many friends among the local businesses. And he finds part-time jobs for any girls who don't have much money."

"Really?" Mari started, scarcely able to believe what she was hearing. This was sounding almost too good to be true.

"Yes. You see, Grandfather Happy, he helps with the Pervert Patrol," Kasumi went on. "It's a local group of martial artists who help deal with the local troublemakers. And people who train under him help out with the patrol."

"And how do they help?" Maria wondered.

"Oh, in many ways! Early students put up posters with contact numbers, hand out flyers, and advanced students actually go on patrols," Kasumi explained in that tender manner she seemed to use perpetually.

"You mean they actually help fight the local scum population?" Mari wondered, thinking that this was sounding like a better deal all the time.

"As long as Grandfather Happy thinks you're up to it, yes," Kasumi confirmed with a nod. "I used to help out with that myself."

It sounded perfect to Mari. Even too perfect, the way that seemingly everything the two girls could have hoped for was practically being handed to them on a silver platter, so very soon after arriving in Nerima. And it was pretty obvious from the look on her face that Maria was not just a little suspicious, despite the fact that the blonde was far better at concealing her moods than Mari was.

But at the same time, Mari knew that they couldn't just ignore this potential lead, either. For though she had been in her normal body, there was no getting around the fact that Kasumi had taken the Super Soldier down with ridiculous ease. At very least, this Grandfather Happy warranted further investigation, to make sure that his reputation was everything Kasumi claimed it to be.

"Sounds good to me!" Mari finally decreed. "Could you please show us where we can find Happy once I'm fixed up?"

"Why, certainly." Then Kasumi frowned slightly before adding, "Although..."

"Although what?" Maria wondered with a suspicious look in her eyes. "What is it?"

"Well, it's just...I was on my way to the market when I hurt you. And I really do need to get there and pick up a few things so I can make dinner," Kasumi explained with a note of embarrassment. "Would you mind if I took care of the shopping while Dr. Tofu is looking at you? I'd be sure to come back to his clinic just as soon as I could."

"Sure!" Mari immediately replied. "As long as we get to meet the Happy Grandpa, then it's all good!" At this, Kasumi began chuckling, as if to some private joke. "Hey, what is it? Did I make a joke without even realizing it?"

"In a way," Kasumi replied after recovering from her brief bout of the giggles. "You see, that's the name of Grandfather Happy's dojo; Happy Grandpa's Anything-Goes Martial Arts."

"Oh!" Mari replied with a touch of surprise. "Well, then after I'm all patched up, it's off to Happy Grandpa's we go!" Then she looked at Maria, and whispered out to her, "And Goldilocks? If either of us ever has any kids, and we wind up telling them about all the wild and crazy stuff we did back in the day, let's make sure that we _don't_ mention this little misadventure to them, okay?"

"Definitely," Maria nodded with a low sigh. "I'm perfectly fine with never speaking of this again."

* * *

 _"Bwahahahahahahahaha!"_ Ranma laughed as he rolled across the floor, his ribs screaming in pain as tears of levity rolled down his face. "You got _one-shotted_ by an alt of _Kasumi Tendo?! A regular homemaker human version of her?! Mwa-hahahahahaha!"_

As Ranma continued to roll about, utterly helpless with laughter, he could see the look Mari was leveling at him. And unlike him, she wasn't laughing. She wasn't smiling. She was just glaring before muttering, "Great, great. I cannot begin to tell you how much better I feel, knowing what the word of a Champion is worth. It really does warm my heart. Really, it does." A beat passed before she leaned in closer to him and added, "You do realize that I'm going to break every single bone in your little body for this, right?"

Further peals of laughter escaped Ranma's lips at this. "I - I'm sorry! I-I-I just... _gwaa-hahahahaha...!"_

Not the slightest bit amused by Ranma's levity, Mari gritted out, "Just for the record, if your Asuka or anybody else learns about this little fiasco from my past, I'm going to know _exactly_ who spilled the beans. At which point I am going to march right up to Stronghold and make what I did to Gamma, Manhunter, and Nadia look like a _schoolyard brawl!_ And the very first person that I will be _completely obliterating from existence is going to be YOU!"_

Not sure if Mari could make good on her threat but damned certain that he did not want to find out the hard way, Ranma brought his hands to his mouth and did his best to squelch the remaining peals of laughter that still lingered in him. "I'm...okay, okay! I...I get the idea...!" he managed to get out, stifling a few snorts of laughter that were fighting their way out. "S-so, uh...what then? What happened next?" he wondered dazedly. "Didn't you say something about that Kasumi taking you to...Dr. Tofu's office?"

"That's right," Mari confirmed with a nod.

A beat passed before Ranma asked, "But...didn't you know what happens when an alt of Dr. Tofu even _looks_ at most alts of Kasumi?"

"Nope," Mari replied with a scowl. "Unfortunately, I was about to find out the _hard_ way." At these words, further laughter slipped out of Ranma, intensifying the Super Soldier's ire. "Would you like me to get you a shovel so you can dig yourself that much deeper?"

* * *

"I don't like this, Mari," Maria insisted with a frown as the two girls chatted inside Dr. Tofu's clinic. "You're pushing things far too fast."

"What other choice do we have?" Mari wondered as she sat on the medical bed, forced to use her hands just to keep herself upright. Sitting next to her was the backpack that still concealed her shield.

"We have _plenty_ of choices. There must be _dozens_ of martial arts schools and trainers here in Nerima!" Maria countered in a concerned manner. "And yet you focus on the very first one to cross your eyes without even taking the time to look for alternatives!"

"Look, first of all, it's obvious that Kasumi's got skills! We found that one out the _hard_ way! So the odds of her teacher also having skills are pretty good!" Mari quickly replied. "Second, I don't see how going to this dojo and scoping the situation out and talking to Happy Grandpa is gonna hurt anything! And third, _that's_ why I want you to head out while this Dr. Tofu is taking care of me; see if you can find out anything about any other dojos, collect flyers, and all the rest of it!"

"And leave you alone with a complete stranger? When you can't even move your legs?!" Maria demanded incredulously. "Mari, why are you trying to rush things?! We can take our time finding the right place to train! But just bulling ahead like this is going to get us both in trouble!"

"I get that you don't like this, but...Goldilocks, think about it! Whatever training these people go through, I'm sure it's nothing as simple as waving a magic wand or pressing the right pressure points and suddenly, _boom,_ you're instant awesome!" Mari explained. "We have to expect that, whatever training they do here, it's going to take us _time_ to make it through! Probably months _at least!"_

"I _know_ that!" Maria assured her friend.

"Which means that, the longer we look around, finding the perfect place to train, the longer it's going to take to actually _get_ to the training!" Mari went on. "And the longer it takes us to get through training, the longer it's gonna take for us to start looking for a team that'd be willing to take us! And we _need_ a team, Goldilocks! You and I both know that!"

"I know, I know!" Maria replied despondently as she visibly considered these words. The _American Dream,_ despite being incredibly durable and well-made, was still capable of suffering wear and tear in its vital systems, something that the girls had no real way of dealing with at the moment. And that didn't even include the serious nature of their overall financial dilemma, now that they were basically on their own. They needed a new life, a new career, the ability to provide for themselves and tend to their vehicles and equipment. Which meant the kind of resources a team such as the Champions had to offer. "But I don't see rushing into anything helping us, either!"

"Look, I'm not planning on signing anything right off the bat. I just want to _talk_ to the guy, see what he's offering in ways of training and if he can teach us what we need to learn!" Mari assured her friend. "If it looks good, then we can sign up whenever we want! If it doesn't pan out, then we just get back to looking for something that _will!"_ A beat passed as she smiled and explained, "And _that's_ why I want you to go looking around for alternatives while my legs are on vacation! Because we want to start looking for options to fall back on if this Happosai doesn't make us happy!" A beat passed before Mari went on to say, "Now unless you want to help me into a bathroom so I can go Super Solder and hope it fixes what Kasumi did to me..."

"No," Maria promptly replied, clearly aware that this wasn't a viable option, and not simply because there was no guarantee that Mari's transformation would instantly restore her ability to walk. "It would be too suspicious. Letting people know what we are, what we can do...we don't want to attract...well, any _more_ attention than we already have."

"Exactly. Which means that I have to be a good little girl and let the doctor fix me up, good as new," Mari went on, nodding as she spoke.

"But that _doesn't_ mean that I should just go off by myself," Maria insisted.

"No, but I _do_ want to make the most of our time here! Get as much info as we can, and the sooner, the better!" Mari persisted. "Now, you go on ahead. Stick to public areas, avoid attention, and just see what the local dojo situation is. And check with the police department about Happy Grandpa and this Pervert Patrol. See what you can find out, if they're legit and all the rest of it. And while I'm here, sitting around and looking cute for the doctor, I can chat with him about the above, and see if I can get some more info."

Giving a slow shake of her head, Maria then muttered, "I still don't like this, but..."

"Hey, if I wanted to live a long, safe life, I'd be in a completely different line of work!" Mari reminded her friend. "And if the doctor gets overly friendly, I do have a trick or two up my sleeve he doesn't know about. So get going! We've got a lot to do, and the sooner we get it done, the sooner we can move on to Phase 2!"

Issuing a sigh of surrender, Maria then nodded. "Alright. But if anything happens, you call me, okay?"

"Roger that one," Mari replied, patting the pocket in her dress where her cell phone lay in wait. "And the same goes for you, got that?"

"Of course." Then Maria glanced at the door and announced, "Sounds like Dr. Tofu's coming."

"Yeah. He and Kasumi just finished talking," Mari noted, privately thinking that the doctor sounded somewhat off during his conversation. "Well, better get going, Goldilocks!"

"Right," Maria nodded even as she turned to depart. As she approached the door, the figure of Dr. Tofu entered the checkup room. "Good day, Doctor. And please, take good care of Mari."

"Huh? Oh, right! Of course!" Dr. Tofu replied right before he started laughing giddily.

 _Good grief,_ Mari couldn't help but think, rolling her eyes at the Doctor's behavior. He was a man with brown hair done up in a pigtail and was wearing a black martial arts _gi,_ a pair of sandals, and glasses that had fogged up the instant he had caught sight of Kasumi. _If he ain't in love with that Kasumi, then I'll_ eat _the_ American Dream, _adamantium armor and all!_

"Hey! Doc Tofu?" Mari began, waving in an attempt to get the good doctor's attention. When he continued to look back towards where Maria had been standing, the Super Soldier tried again. "Excuse me? Dr. Tofu? You have a patient in need of your services!"

"Huh? A patient?" Dr. Tofu started, looking blankly about. While Mari was wondering how he could see with his glasses fogged over like that, the doctor smiled and answered, "Oh, right! Of course!" He then issued another daffy chuckle...before making his way over to the skeleton that was hanging in the corner of the room. "So, tell me, ma'am, what seems to be the problem?"

"Wha- hey, Doc! You might want to clean your glasses!" Mari declared, starting to regret sending Maria away. "I'm a bit roughed up, but I'm not _that_ critical!" When Dr. Tofu glanced about in the Super Soldier's direction, she pointed at herself. _"I'm_ the patient, remember?! Not the champion of weight loss you've got hanging around here!"

"Oh, sure!" Dr. Tofu went, issuing another chuckle as he made his way over to stand in front of Mari. "So tell me, what seems to be the problem?"

"It's my legs, Doc. They kind of went on vacation without me, and - _hey!"_ Mari squawked, cutting herself off in surprise as Dr. Tofu grabbed her by the head. "It's my _legs,_ Doc! _My legs!_ You know, the long things down there that guys tend to look at and - _gyaaaahh!"_

In one single, deft movement, Dr. Tofu had twisted Mari's head about at a ninety-degree, causing the world to suddenly look like it was on its side to the tune of cartilage crunching and bones screaming in protest. "What the -?!" Mari screamed, instinctively pushing the demented doctor away. When she tried to straighten out her neck, however, the Super Soldier cringed in pain. "You - what the hell did you -?!" she started to demand, only to realize that Dr. Tofu was presently doing pirouettes before her. "What the hell were you snorting, Doc?! Are you -?!"

Then Mari saw something that froze her right in place. As the demented doctor spun about his examination room, giggling and smiling like a complete loon, her backpack dangled from his careless grasp.

With her shield still inside.

"Why - you damned quack!" Mari cried out, too horrified by the sight of her shield once again in someone else's hands to even think of transforming. Already in motion, she shoved herself off the bed, roaring, _"Give that -!_

The instant Mari was off the bed, however, she realized she had just made a catastrophic error. Her legs, though they retained sensation, still did not respond to her commands, and thus immediately buckled beneath her weight. A situation made that much worse when Dr. Tofu danced towards Mari once more, the bag with her shield in it rushing towards her head at high speed.

 _Oh, shitballs...!_ was all Mari had time to think before the edge of the shield crashed right into her head. The indestructible discus smashing hard into her skull, and her skull losing right before the world faded to darkness.

* * *

 _"Bew-aahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!"_ Ranma laughed uproariously as he continued to roll about the floor. "The great Captain America, KOed by a delusional doctor?! _Gwaaahahahahahaha!"_

"Okay, I'd like to go on record as saying a few things," Mari grumbled sourly as she glared down at the Atlantean. "First, I wouldn't have gone down that easily if I had been in Super Soldier Mode with all the muscle that goes with it. Secondly, my shield is one of the deadliest weapons of all time, and it can slice through armor plating, so I think I'm allowed to be KOed by it, even if it was still in my backpack. Third, that was a long time ago, and I'm a lot tougher now. And fourth...if you don't want to wind up _wearing_ the orange juice I ordered when it gets here, I strongly suggest you _can it already!"_

Still chortling at the mental image Mari's humiliation conjured in his mind, Ranma retorted around his mirth, "Aw...wh-why are you so...so mad?! I mean...I've seen plenty of people laugh at versions of _me_ when _they_ get clobbered for something! What, does it stop being funny...because you're a _girl?!_

"First of all, hitting somebody for some stupid ass reason is _never_ funny! I don't give a shit about the gender or whatever involved!" Mari declared in a vehement tone. "And second, I was _already_ in a really bad place as it was! My best friend had turned down the chance of a lifetime, and all because she didn't want to leave me in the lurch with the _American Dream_ and all my problems! And I was _already_ convinced that the reason the Champions had passed me over was because I just wasn't _good enough for them!_ And after having been taken down by the original happy homemaker _and_ Dr. Doofus...!"

As these words sounded, along with the pain and despair that were hinted at so subtly by them, the urge to laugh died in Ranma. As he looked at the proud Super Soldier seated nearby, he saw the way she was slouching over, her arms folded upon her lap. Her battlesuit seeming to weigh down upon her like the heaviest of burdens. "I...I'm sorry, I..." Ranma started, his insides twisting about in shame. "I just...like I said, we've all had embarrassing stuff happen to us! We've all lost battles, and..."

"It wasn't just an embarrassment. At least...not for me," Mari softly explained in a solemn tone of voice. "Back in the world we came from, Goldilocks and I...we'd fought against all kinds of shit! We'd taken on some of the worst villains around, both on our Earth _and_ Asgard! I'd fought against superhumans, Asgardian trolls, frost giants, and more! And I'd taken my lumps, and I'd lost a few rounds! But at the end of the day, we _always_ came through!" Heaving a deep sigh at this, the Super Soldier went on to explain, "But...we'd barely seen any action since arriving in Coreline. What with...working to make that warehouse they'd given us for a home livable, taking care of Goldilocks, and trying to find a team to work with...there just hadn't been enough time to be a hero. To be...Captain America. And while I'd dealt with a few thugs here and there...I still knew that the dials for badassery went up way past eleven in this crazy world." Pressing her lips together, Mari looked towards Ranma. "Being turned down by the Champions...I was already worried that...I just wasn't good enough to handle this world. I mean...back then, I couldn't even throw my shield without taking my life into my hands!" Her eyes falling to the floor, she added, "And after what happened in Nerima..."

Now Ranma well and truly felt like a jerk for laughing the way he had. "Yeah...I know how that feels," he finally admitted. "We'd faced some pretty crazy stuff before landing in this world...but nothing like the things we see on a regular basis here in Coreline." Pausing to take in the dismal expression Mari wore, and not even wanting to think about how she must feel with him making light of what she had gone through, he swallowed the lump of bile that had formed in his throat. "So...what happened next?"

Pausing to take in a deep breath, Mari went on to say, "Well...I can't tell you what happened to me after that because I was kinda busy being unconscious. Which I'm...kinda glad for." Pausing to nod his understanding for that, Ranma listened as she said, "As for Goldilocks, she did a quick check around town, and saw enough crazy to fill a Star Destroyer with. Lots of dojos, lots of weird, but she _did_ stop by the local police department, who were more than happy to confirm that Happy Grandpa's school _and_ the Pervert Patrol were the real deal. And there were more than a few martial artists around who were willing to recommend them as a good place to train. As long as you could convince the Happy Grandpa that you weren't about to abuse what he taught you for a sick kick."

"Okay," Ranma nodded, deciding that this made sense. "So then what?"

"Well, at that point, Goldilocks was getting worried about me, so she decided to head back and see how I was doing," Mari went on. "Which...went about as well as you'd imagine."

* * *

Maria Vincennes was a firm believer in the idiom that, if something looked too good to be true, then it mostly was. She had been a believer in this back in the world of her origin, and her experiences in the Core Timeline had only reinforced this belief.

However, despite her caution and wariness of Mari's enthusiasm, Maria had to admit that this 'Happy Grandpa' and his Anything-Goes Martial Arts was looking very good at the moment. And it was looking better and better by the moment.

"So it's legitimate, Tai?" Maria wondered as continued to hold her cell phone up to her head, speaking with the AI of the _American Dream._ All while doing her best to keep from becoming as overly optimistic as Mari was at this point.

"Apparently, yes. Although I haven't been able to get a great deal of information on this school or the Pervert Patrol, mostly because the internet in Nerima is as chaotic as you describe the town to be," Tai informed her, sounding not just a little put out over what he was being forced to endure. "Still, what information I _was_ able to acquire _does_ suggest that Happy Grandpa's Anything-Goes Martial Arts _is_ a highly respected and recommended martial arts dojo and is licensed by Anything Goes Martial Arts Incorporated. There are also numerous stories of this Happy Grandpa aiding people in finding part-time jobs to cover their fees."

"The police told me much the same," Maria nodded, feeling somewhat more at ease with pursuing training there. Even if training there didn't pan out or they couldn't learn what they needed to, the very fact that they would have part-time jobs would mean losing little to nothing in the way of resources other than time. "Though they _did_ mention that he doesn't accept everyone. If he feels someone isn't trustworthy, then he won't teach them."

"The data I have also suggested this," Tai seconded. "So...what are your plans now?"

"I picked up some fliers for some other dojos and martial arts centers, but I haven't been able to get any real information on them," Maria admitted as she looked at the bundle she had collected. Martial arts schools and training centers seemed to be about as common in Nerima as toadstools were in a field after a heavy rainstorm. "I'll send you the names and what information I have on them so far. Maybe you can get a bit more for us."

Once Maria was done rattling off the information she had acquired, Tai replied, "I'll do my best. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get much information before, thanks to the sheer chaos over there. I don't think I'll have any better luck this time."

"I understand. But please try, Tai," Maria replied in a wearied voice. "I'll see you later. Bye." Waiting just long enough for the AI to respond in kind, the blonde then closed up her phone and continued down the street that, according to the map she had acquired, would lead her back to Dr. Tofu's clinic.

Maria considered a Tai a friend, or at least as much of a friend as the artificial intelligence of a super-advanced military prototype fighting craft designed and developed by SHIELD could be. After all, there was no doubt that Tai and the _American Dream_ had come through for both her and Mari many times in the past, both before and after arriving in Coreline. It had saved their lives...just as Mari had saved Maria's life, and vice versa.

Looking back, it was hard for Maria to imagine that there had been a time when she had held Mari in the deepest of contempt. That she had been nothing short of appalled at having to work with a loudmouthed nut-ball who would crack a joke about the most ridiculous of things. That the blonde had once treated her alliance with Mari as a necessary evil and nothing more. And had done her best to disregard the exuberant Super Soldier's attempts to bull her way into a relationship with Maria.

That had been before Maria had seen the tears that Mari masked with her jokes. Of the tragedy that lay behind her days with SHIELD. And before she had realized that, while the power of Storm Bringer granted her the body of a warrior, Mari had helped her become the noble person and skilled fighter she had needed to become in order to save the world of their origin.

 _And after we landed here...she was the only thing that kept us both going,_ Maria thought, recalling with shame those days when all she would do was hide in the pitiful room of the warehouse that the girls had been more-or-less left to their own devices in trying to make into a home. Those dark days when all she could think about was her precious guardian, the life she had had, her plans for the future, all of which had been squandered and left in ruin when the two of them had been going on a long-term mission aboard the _American Dream_ before being pulled into the Core Timeline...with no hope of ever going back to whence they had come from.

Those days when she went to sleep, almost hoping never to wake up. When things such as a kitchen knife or one of Mari's guns started looking like the best friend in the world. For they held the promise of escape from this misery. Solace...in oblivion.

And all the while Maria had wallowed in misery, Mari had kept working away. Kept taking care of everything that had needed to be taken care of. Kept working away and trying to make a life for them both again. Until at last a few sparks of worthiness that had survived her descent into despair awoke when she hit rock bottom, and showed her what a pitiful fool she had been. Especially when compared to the soldier that had kept fighting in her absence, and had never stopped.

 _She never abandoned me, back home or in Coreline. I'm not going to abandon her,_ Maria thought with deep ferocity, for while she didn't always agree with Mari or her plans, she did appreciate the logic behind her thinking. And understood why she wanted to push herself, to overcome her limits and find new strength. _Still...I wish she'd_ stop _pushing every now again! Just...bulling ahead the way she does..._

Even as she thought back to some of the battles they had fought in the past, battles that the Asgardian power and endurance of Thunderstrike had easily survived, but the Super Soldier had been less well equipped to handle and had very nearly been killed by, Maria understood the urge to become stronger. Better. Less vulnerable to the dangers surrounding them. Just as she realized that Mari felt at least a measure of guilt for the fact that Maria had decided against joining the Champions when the smug, insufferable alt of Sasuke Uchiha refused to even consider scouting Mari.

 _Even so, this place is so...unbelievable!_ Maria couldn't help but think. _Everybody kung-fu fighting...using some kind of magic or chi power like it was the easiest thing in the world to do..._ Even after seeing the wonders of Asgard, the blonde felt this place was incredible and confusing, the mix of the mundane and the mind-boggling more than she could begin to make sense of. _I just hope that Mari's recovered...I know I can transform if things get bad, but I still don't like the idea of either of us being alone in all of this insanity!_

Longing for the relative calm of the world of their origin, and not for the first time, Maria continued towards the clinic. Only to pause for a moment when the sound of voices from ahead was heard. Taking a moment to consider the voices in question, she frowned and picked up the pace a bit. Only to gape at what she saw.

"So how are you doing today, Mr. Ichiyusai?" Dr. Tofu wondered as he stood just outside of his clinic, studying an elderly man before him.

"Oh, a bit sore in the back, but other than that, not too bad," Mr. Ichiyusai replied with a kindly smile. "I was rather hoping that you might have a look at it." A beat passed before he asked, "That is, if you're not too busy at the moment?"

"Oh, no problem! Fact is, things have been rather quiet today," Dr. Tofu replied. Apparently oblivious to the fact that, dangling in his right hand, was the satchel that contained Mari's precious shield. "If you'll just come in, and -!"

"What are you doing with that?!" Maria demanded as she made her way up to the doctor, all caution forgotten as she glanced between Dr. Tofu and the satchel he held. "Where's Mari?!"

"Why, uh...hello, young lady," Dr. Tofu began, looking perplexedly at Maria. "Uh...who's Mari? What are you talking about?"

Her eyes widening in incredulity, Maria required a moment to recover before trying again. "Mari. The girl that I left here to receive treatment from you while I went on some errands," the blonde spoke, doing her best to remain polite, to get the information she needed without ruffling too many feathers. "She was injured, and we brought her here so that you could take care of her."

A beat passed as Dr. Tofu looked blankly at Maria, blinking in obvious ignorance. "I'm...sorry, young lady, but...I have no idea what you're talking about," he finally admitted, much to the blonde's consternation. "Uh...would you mind telling me who you are?"

 _I told you when I met you earlier, you idiot! What the hell is the matter with you, anyway?!_ Maria thought. What she actually said was, "My name is Maria Vincennes, Doctor," she told him in as polite a fashion as she could while throttling down an outrage that would do nothing to get her answers. "And as for my friend...you happen to be holding her backpack."

"Huh?" Dr. Tofu replied, even more baffled than before. Acting on impulse, he hefted up the bag and studied it, his eyes widening in surprise. "Well...I'll be! I didn't even know I was holding this!" he declared in shock that was simply too genuine to be feigned. "Where _did_ it come from?!"

 _Has he lost his mind?! Did he even_ have _one to begin with?!_ Maria demanded inwardly. What she actually said was, "That's Mari's backpack, Doctor. As I was explaining, my friend Mari was hurt earlier, so a woman named Kasumi told us about your clinic, and -!"

"Hold on, young lady!" Mr. Ichiyusai cried out in clear alarm. "Are you trying to say that you'd left your friend in the clinic...right after a _Kasumi_ was here?!"

"That's right," Maria confirmed with a nod, not sure where the old man was going with this. "Why? Is something wrong?"

"I certainly hope not! Let's move!" Mr. Ichiyusai cried out, hopping from one foot to the other and back again before zooming into the clinic so fast that he left a cloud of dust in his wake.

Not sure what had the older man so alarmed but getting a very bad feeling nonetheless, Maria lost no time in following him. She was aware of Dr. Tofu following close behind, but her focus was elsewhere as the unlikely trio entered the clinic and made their way into the examination room where she had last seen her friend. Only for Maria's eyes to bulge in horror and her jaw to crash down on the floor.

"Ooooohhhhhhh..." Mari groaned miserably, looking like she wasn't even fully conscious, but fully aware of the pain she was in. Which had to be considerable, given the fact that she presently resembled a pretzel that had taken far too many turns at the pretzel factory. The bespectacled girl looked like nothing more than a great big tangle of disjointed arms and legs wrapped around a torso that most certainly should _not_ be bending the way it was, with her head sticking out of the front of the tangle, an expression of sheer wretchedness upon her face. "So... _much..._ pain..."

 _"What in the name of -?!"_ Maria shrieked in consummate horror, too stunned to even move.

"My word!" Dr. Tofu cried out, his eyes wide with horror as he dropped the backpack that held the shield before rushing up to Mari. "I - what on earth happened?!" he demanded even as he bent down to look the Super Soldier in the eyes. "Ma'am, who - what kind of brutal, sadistic thug could have possibly _done_ something like this?!"

A beat passed before Mari somehow managed to look at the doctor, right before she muttered, "Uh...would you believe it was...someone who looked...exactly like you, Doc?"

"Wha-?! Oh, not this _again!"_ Dr. Tofu cried out, partly in dismay, but just as much in sheer outrage. "Why does he keep _doing_ this to me?!" When both girls made noises of surprises at this, the doctor went on to explain, "I've been hearing about this evil alternate of me who keeps going around, hurting possible patients! And just knowing that some malicious bullying monster like that is out there, wearing _my_ face and hurting people for a sick kick... _uggghh!"_ Shaking his head in clear disgust, the doctor looked squarely into Mari's pained face and assured her, "But you don't have to worry, young lady! I'll have you fixed up in no time!"

Frowning somewhat at this, Maria glanced over at Mr. Ichiyusai and gently asked, "Is there really an evil alternate of Dr. Tofu running around?"

Pausing to glance at Dr. Tofu, who was already gingerly trying to undo the massive tangle of body parts that Mari had been reduced to, Mr. Ichiyusai heaved a deep sigh before cupping his hand to his mouth and whispering into Maria's ear. "No," he hesitantly admitted. "Y'see...he's got this weakness for alts of Kasumi. Every time a good version of them walks in through the door - particularly this one version who's been training under the Happy Grandpa - he just goes to pieces. It's like he's lost in his own little world, and woe betides anybody who decides to get a checkup from him then!"

"But then why -?!" Maria started to demand.

"Because it would break his poor heart to know the truth," Mr. Ichiyusai explained with a sad shake of his head. "Normally, he's such a fine doctor. And since all of us here know well enough to avoid him when a Kasumi's nearby, there's almost never a problem."

Very seriously considering informing the old man that 'almost' wasn't good enough, Maria was brought back to the moment by the sound of cartilage crunching, which was all the warning she had before Mari unleashed a pained shriek. Very nearly jumping right out of her skin, the blonde looked about and very nearly fell over when she saw Dr. Tofu with one of Mari's arms in hand. The doctor had stretched it out to its full length and had pulled it back so far that it almost looked like he had yanked the ball out of its socket, which explained the contorted expression of agony Mari wore, as well as the tears of pain welling up in her eyes.

 _"Mari?!"_ Maria screamed, on the verge of ripping off her crucifix pendant and transforming into Thunderstrike. But even as she moved to do so, Mr. Ichiyusai held out his arm before her and shook his head. "What the -?!"

"Look, I know this looks bad," Mr. Ichiyusai admitted even as Dr. Tofu continued his ministrations, eliciting even further pained cries from Mari. "But when there's no Kasumi around, he truly _is_ an excellent doctor! He'll have your friend back up on her feet in no time!"

 _But he's the one who hurt Mari in the first place!_ Maria immediately wanted to protest even as she returned her focus to the situation before her. But before she could give voice to any kind of sentiment, she frowned and observed Dr. Tofu, who did seem to know what he was doing. At the very least, he was proving to be very deft in untangling the jumble of limbs that Mari had been reduced to, despite her continued yelps and cries of pain. Already, he had her lying face down on the medical bed and had her arms and legs more or less in the positions they should be in.

"It won't be much longer, ma'am!" Dr. Tofu reassured Mari in a gentle manner even as he wrapped one arm around her neck and pulled back on it and drove his free fist squarely into her back, over and over again. Cringing at the sight of this, with only the fact that Mr. Ichiyusai remained unconcerned continuing to reassure Maria that the doctor was doing what he should be doing. "Just hold on for a little longer! Just a few more joints...!"

Each time Dr. Tofu smashed his fist into Mari's back, the Super Soldier flailed about a bit more in his arms as she issued some noise of pain. This happened over and over again until he punched her so hard that the air was filled with the sound of vertebrae snapping and cartilage crunching. Just before the sound of furious snarling and teeth gnashing was heard...followed shortly by the noise of cloth ripping.

 _Oh, no!_ Maria thought, dismayed despite being unsurprised as Mari shed her civilian form in favor of the physically superior form of a Super Soldier. Her breasts heaved and pushed open the front of her shirt, sending a couple buttons flying just in time for her musculature to swell up as well. Her normally toned and athletic form expanded to become something more befitting a youthful bodybuilder, splitting apart the shoulders of her shirt and causing numerous runs to appear in her pantyhose.

"What the -?!" Dr. Tofu cried out in surprise, right before Mari whipped about and grabbed him. Issuing a savage snarl, the Super Soldier then hefted the doctor up off of his feet and flung him into a nearby wall.

Wincing as the wall cratered from Dr. Tofu's impact, Maria continued to watch in horror as Mari rushed up to him and snarled, "That _hurt,_ you fucking quack!"

"Huh?!" Dr. Tofu started, somehow still conscious despite being partly embedded in a wall. "Oh, dear...tell me what still hurts!"

Mari opened her mouth to respond, most likely with a barrage of colorful metaphors tossed in for good measure, only for her eyes to go wide with realization as she glanced down at herself. "Huh?" she squeaked out, even as she studied her arms and legs. "Hey...I'm better!" she cried out even as she paused to rotate one shoulder, than the next. Then she swiveled body about, right before jumping from one leg to the other, testing the range of motion of each portion of her body. "I'm all good!"

"Well, that's certainly a relief!" Dr. Tofu proclaimed with a broad smile. But as he pulled himself out of the crater, he frowned slightly and glanced over Mari's current form. "But...young lady, you..."

Wincing at this, Maria looked on as Mari frowned in confusion, only for her eyes to go wide in realization right before she looked down at herself. "Uhh..." she hesitantly began, clearly at a loss as to how to explain her way out of this one. "Oops."

As Maria smacked herself in the face, unable to believe how much had gone wrong and how completely they had failed to stay as far below the radar as possible and avoid attracting any undue attention, Dr. Tofu just stood there for a time, studying Mari...right before he smacked his fist into the palm of his free hand in a gesture of realization. "I see...I didn't realize that you practiced!" he declared with a smile. "You must be quite a martial artist!"

Of all the things that Maria could have expected for the doctor to say, this had not even come close to being one of them. And it was clear from the baffled expression that Mari now wore that she felt similarly. "Huh?"

"Of course! Chi-based muscle expansion...and the way you were moving!" Dr. Tofu went on, even as he placed his hand upon Mari's now bare shoulder. "It's obvious that you're in excellent shape...and you've clearly done a lot of practicing! I bet you're an excellent fighter!"

"I'll say!" Mr. Ichiyusai smiled easily. "I barely even saw her move!"

Mari looked increasingly flummoxed, and Maria had no doubt that she looked equally baffled. In the world of their origin, and even in the neighborhood where they now lived, the blonde thunderer would never have imagined anybody checking up the ability suddenly grow massive amounts of muscle and grow taller to something like being a good martial artist.

A few seconds passed in awkward silence as the two girls stood there, with Mari shooting Maria a glance, to which the blonde responded to by shrugging helplessly. Rolling her eyes and seeming to say 'Okay, let's go with that', she then returned her attention to Dr. Tofu. "Uh, yeah. Pretty much," she hesitantly said, her mouth still not up to speed after what had happened. "Actually, that's why Goldilocks and I are in town; we're looking for a good dojo where we can polish our skills."

"Ah! Of course!" Dr. Tofu easily replied, smiling as if what Mari was saying was the most sensible thing in the world. "Well, the Happy Grandpa's dojo is an excellent place for young ladies such as yourself!"

"So we've been told," Mari replied...only to give a hapless frown as she glanced past Dr. Tofu. "Uh...um, about your wall, and..."

Once again, Mari glanced back at Maria. Her expression seeming to ask, 'Uh, this guy turned me into a pretzel and then cured me. So do I owe him an apology?'

 _What are you looking at me for?!_ Maria thought.

But before Maria could come up with some relatively polite advice to give her friend, Dr. Tofu smiled and waved aside their concerns. "Oh, don't worry about it. In fact -"

The wall that Dr. Tofu had just cratered suddenly exploded.

As both girls jumped away from the ensuing debris, eyes wide with astonishment, Dr. Tofu turned about and smiled. "Ah, good morning, Shampoo!" he declared as a girl of about Maria's and Mari's age strolled through the impromptu door with an innocent smile on her face. She had long, purple hair done up with two buns on the sides of her head and was dressed in what looked like Chinese-style clothing. "Girls, this is Shampoo. She works part-time here as my nurse."

"Nihao!" Shampoo greeted them both in a cheerful manner. Seemingly unconcerned about the hole she had apparently made in the process of entering her place of work.

 _Every time I think this blasted world can't get any crazier...!_ Maria thought, fighting to keep the sour expression she felt from migrating to her face. What she actually said was, "Pleased...to meet you."

"Uh, likewise!" Mari seconded, giving Shampoo a friendly waved and a lopsided smile that made it clear that whatever tolerance she had for the insane was also being tried by the Nerima Ward and it's denizens. When Shampoo smiled and nodded. "Umm...listen, I...sorry about the trouble, Dr. Tofu, but...we do have some stuff that we need to take care of. Hope you don't mind."

"Of course not!" Dr. Tofu easily replied even as Mari made her way over to where her backpack lay on the floor. Pausing only long enough to glance inside and make certain that her precious shield remained within, despite the fact that very few things matched the size and shape of her shield. "I'm just sorry that something like this happened in my own clinic."

Nodding to this, Mari made her way over to Maria and whispered in her ear, "So, did you find out anything about Happy Grandpa? Or did my stupidity get me nothing but a free demonstration on how to cause someone as much pain as humanly possible?"

"I talked to the police, and got Tai to dig up some information on this Happy Grandpa," Maria quickly reported even as Mari slid her shield back on her back. "And from what we could tell, he's legitimate. Fully licensed and has an excellent reputation."

"Then over the river and through the woods, to Happy Grandpa's house we go!" Mari beamed gladly as she started out of the clinic, with Maria walking alongside her.

"We still have to wait for Kasumi," Maria pointed out. "She's the one who knows where this dojo is. Furthermore, the information I was able to get indicates that this Happy Grandpa doesn't accept just anyone; if he feels for any reason that a person isn't trustworthy, then he won't train them." As Mari paused, frowning slightly, the blonde went on to say, "We should at least have this Kasumi handle the introductions. From what we saw of her, she _did_ seem genuinely concerned about us, and did want to help."

Pausing to consider this, Mari then nodded. "Alright then, but..." Trailing off to glance back at the clinic they were departing, she grimaced and said, "I think we should wait a bit further away from this place. I've already learned my lesson about the sheer level of crazy in this place! I'm in no hurry for any refresher courses on the subject." A beat passed before she went on to add, "And today, we've learned a valuable lesson; Never Split the Party is a Trope _for a damned reason!"_

* * *

 _"Gyaaa-hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!"_ Ranma guffawed once again, tears of mirth streaming from his eyes as he clutched at his side. "Oh, oh - ho ha ha - my ribs! My ribs are _killing me!"_

"I doubt that," Mari grumbled once again. "But if you keep digging your own grave, buster, I'll be happy to take care of that little issue!"

* * *

 _I swear I am_ never _gonna live this trip down..._ Mari grumbled inwardly as she once again trekked through the capital of insanity that was the Nerima Ward.

Once again, the Super Soldier was in her more normal form. That didn't fix her damaged clothing, but at least Mari wouldn't draw any more attention than they had already attracted since their arrival in the Nerima Ward. And thus maybe giving them a chance to avoid suffering any further incidents as she and Maria allowed themselves to be guided towards their goal.

But as they traveled, Mari found herself bemused by a combination of eagerness...as well as concern. Eagerness that they might be on the verge of getting the enhanced training that had not been available in the world of their origin, and concern over her recent mishaps.

It was easy enough to chalk up such fiascoes to her being overly eager and thus making incredibly stupid mistakes. Goodness knows that Mari would never have wound up in the sad state that Dr. Tofu had reduced her to if she had heeded Maria's advice and let her stay long enough to either let Mari recover or get her away from Dr. Tofu before he had mangled her in his love-struck daze. And she had been perhaps too eager when she had approached Kasumi.

But at the same time, the fact that Dr. Tofu had so effortlessly withstood being sent crashing into that wall without any harm, the way that alt of Shampoo had so readily shattered that same wall and the fact that the Nerima residents had been so quick to chalk up Mari's abilities to martial arts talent alone...

 _No doubt about it; the dials for badassery go up a_ lot _higher than they did where we come from,_ Mari couldn't help but think as she followed alongside her friend. _If this is the kind of skill we have to compete with, we're gonna have to go into maximum overdrive, just to make the grade in this crazy world, and -_

"Well, here we are!" Kasumi announced, startling Mari out of her dour thoughts. As the Super Soldier looked about, she saw the gentle woman indicating a building off to the side. "Happy Grandpa's Anything-Goes Martial Arts!"

Looking about, Mari and Maria turned to see a good-sized building that looked very much like the stereotypical martial arts dojo from an anime, designed in the style of an old-style Japanese building. The only difference was the fact that there was a large sign that spelled out the words 'Happy Grandpa's Anything-Goes Martial Arts' in neon. In the upper left corner of the sign was a caricature of an old man's smiling face that had two tufts of hair to the sides of his bald head, as well as a tiny mustache.

"Great!" Mari declared, putting a cat-like smile on her face. "Let's go meet the Happy Grand- huh?" Starting as Kasumi held out her hand in front of the Super Soldier, she then looked about and asked, "What is it?"

"Oh, it's nothing...maybe," Kasumi replied, an expression of concern on her face as she glanced back at Mari. "However, if you don't mind, I'd like to go first. There's something I need to check into."

Making a sound of perplexity at this, Mari looked over at Maria, who gave a slight shrug and a frown of warning. _Relax, Goldilocks. I've been burned enough for one day to be plenty shy about screwing up again!_ the Super Soldier thought. What she actually did was look at Kasumi and say, "Okay, go right ahead."

Nodding to this, Kasumi the made her way up the path that led to the door and pressed a button next to said door. "Excuse me? Grandfather Happy?"

"Eh?" came a voice that sounded older than dirt. "Is that you, Kasumi dear?"

"Yes, it's me," Kasumi replied in a pleasant manner. "Can I come in, please? I brought some girls who might be interested in enrolling here."

"What's that? You brought some potential students?!" the old voice demanded. "Well, what are you waiting for, Kasumi dear?! Bring them on in and let me have a look at them!"

Kasumi seemed to frown slightly but didn't seem to react otherwise. Instead, she turned back towards Mari and Maria and gestured for them to approach. "Okay. We're coming in," she declared...right before releasing the button. Then she frowned and told them, "Please, stay a few feet behind me when we're inside."

Again, the two girls glanced at each other, with Maria frowning and asking, "Excuse me, Kasumi? I hate to bother you, but...what is this about?"

Seeming to consider this for a moment, Kasumi then replied, "Well, as you mentioned earlier, not all alternates of Grandfather Happy have very good reputations." When the two girls nodded to this, the gentle woman continued with, "So, unfortunately, there _are_ alternates of him that try to take advantage of his good nature and his school so they can accost potential students."

"So, in other words, you want to make sure that this Happosai is the genuine Happy Grandpa before he tries to slobber all over us," Mari determined with a raised eyebrow.

"Basically, yes," Kasumi confirmed.

"But if that's the case, then how can you tell if _this_ Happosai is the one who's supposed to be here?" Maria wondered with a slight frown. "Won't they all look the same?"

"Yes, they do. But you don't have to worry about that," Kasumi assured them with a wan smile. "I know exactly how to find out if this really is Grandfather Happy. Just stay behind me, and let me handle everything."

Mari didn't even need to think about it before replying, "Hey, I'm good with that! It's your show!"

"Thank you," Kasumi replied, and without another word, she opened the front door and revealed an interior made with paper walls and doors, every bit the image of a classical Japanese home.

As the three of them entered, a diminutive figure of a man whose entire body looked to be smaller than Mari's head ambled into view. "Why, hello there, Kasumi!" he called to her, smiling pleasantly. "So, these two young ladies are interested in learning the ways of Anything-Goes Martial Arts, huh?"

"That's right, Grandpa Happy," Kasumi replied in an equally pleasant manner. "I understand that they've come a long way, just to broaden their skills."

"Ah, I see! A commendable attitude!" the alternate of Happosai decreed with an approving smile. "So, why don't you introduce us all?"

"Certainly. But first..." Kasumi began, placing her hand on her chest...before slipping it beneath the apron she wore. An instant later, she drew something from beneath the apron and flung it up into the air.

 _What the -?!_ Mari thought in surprise, looking up at the object in question. _Is that - a bra?! But why -?!_

"Oh, my stars! It's mana from heaven!" the Happosai alt cried out in clear delight, immediately leaping up to snag the floating bra. "How sweet it is!"

"No, it isn't! Because you're _not_ Grandfather Happy!" Kasumi immediately declared, and suddenly there was something in her hand.

 _Huh?!_ Mari wondered as Kasumi held up the object between her index and middle fingers. _Is that - a yen coin?!_

"Happo Fifty-Yen Satsu!" Kasumi declared, holding the coin towards the Happosai alt, who was presently oblivious to everything but snagging the free-floating bra.

There was a brilliant flash of light from the coin, one that left Mari blinded for a moment. But when her eyes recovered, she bore witness to a dramatic transformation. The Happosai alternate seemed to sag beneath his own skin and was almost instantly reduced to a pathetic pile of moosh that promptly fell to the ground and groaned in defeat. While Kasumi...

"Oh, my! I keep forgetting that - !" Kasumi groaned in pleasure as the energy she had ripped from Happosai sank into her body, causing it to shift and swell beneath her outfit. "I wish I had time to...take my...clothes off...!

 _What the -?!_ Mari wondered, only to gape as Kasumi's body suddenly began to bulge beneath her clothes. The sounds of bones crunching and shifting were heard, right before her muscles began to swell up beneath her skin. Kasumi allowed the yen coin to fall from her hands even as her arms unconsciously flexed, causing her biceps to bulge into mounts of coiled steel.

Kasumi's already generous assets swelled up like beach balls beneath her blouse and apron, the fabric creaking from the strain. And it continued to do so as the matronly woman's body grew, a blouse that had once reached down to her heels rapidly rising up to the middle of her calves. And as her musculature continued to swell and bulge, the tighter her clothes clung to her shapely form until it became increasingly clear that something had to give.

And give it did when the sleeves of Kasumi's blouse began bursting at the seams, rapidly ripping apart one stitch at a time before falling away from her burgeoning form entirely. A snapping sound was heard as the strap holding up the top of her apron gave way, even as her expanding breasts pressed harder and hard against the front of her blouse.

As Kasumi groaned in pleasure, there was a distinct creaking sound that drew the girls eyes downwards, just in time for them to see Kasumi's shoes breaking apart at the seams, her toes spreading forth as in relief that they were free. A loud snapping sound was heard and was followed by Kasumi's panties as they unceremoniously plopped to the floor.

"Oh...this always...feels so good...!" Kasumi breathed, flexing a set of mountainous biceps as she sucked in one tremendous breath after another before suddenly arching her back. As her breasts thrust forward, it spelled the end for her blouse, which practically exploded. As her massive mounds of feminine flesh jumped free of the restraining cloth, her blouse tore even more around her waist, allowing to slide down her heavily muscled form, leaving her bare to the entire world.

For a time, Mari just stood there, studying the transformed woman. Where there had once stood a dainty woman, there now stood a towering mass of muscle with a twenty-four-pack set of abs who was gasping in seeming orgasmic delight. But as for the Happosai alt...

Glancing about, Mari spotted the enfeebled old man laying a short distance away, groaning helplessly. He gasped pitiably, his aged eyes bloodshot and filling with tears of exhaustion. Finding herself horrified by his transformation, the Super Soldier quickly bent down next to the Happosai alt and gently scooped him up in her arms. To her dismay, she found that he weighed next to nothing.

"Oh...I'm sorry, you two," Kasumi spoke, her voice still dainty and sweet, despite her transformation. "But I always forget myself when I change like that, and -"

Without another thought, Mari leaped into a powerful kick, instinctually transforming into her Super Soldier form even as she went into action. The kick struck Kasumi's hand, knocking away the yen coin. As she cried out in surprise, the Super Soldier then leaped forward, taking full advantage of the massive woman's surprise to launch an assault of strikes upon her pressure points, followed by a leg sweep that sent her tumbling to the floor.

"Okay, you fucking leech!" Mari declared, scowling her disdain for the monstrously built woman even as Maria also took a battle ready stance, "You have precisely ten seconds to undo your voodoo before you find your head lodged up your ass!"

* * *

"Wait a second! Hold on!" Ranma cried out in surprised protest. "You mean you actually _attacked_ the Kasumi you had followed to that dojo?! The same one you had been counting on to help you get special training from that good alt of Happosai?!

Groaning in dismay, Mari then nodded, "Uh...yeah..."

Blinking a few times at this, Ranma then asked, "And you did this... _why...?"_

Making noises of hesitation in her throat, Mari squirmed a bit in discomfort before saying, "Well..."

* * *

Author's Notes: Well, I'm sure nobody was expecting Mari to do that? But why was she so upset? You'll have to wait until next time to find out! So until then, please read and review! And maybe check out my other stories?


	7. The Training Journey Continues

Disclaimer: I do not own Evangelion, any of the characters or concepts depicted here, or anything associated with them. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Rise of the Extraordinary Avengers

Chapter 7: The Training Journey Continues

 _Sigh...I can't wait to get back to Stronghold..._ Superman Gamma thought as he made his way out of the apartment that he spent the night in. _As nice as Avengers Mansion is...I still don't like sleeping under a strange ceiling..._

Though significantly more powerful that most alternates of Shinji Ikari, the boy known as Superman Gamma still had some of the personality traits the meek Evangelion pilot was known for. One of which was that he wasn't comfortable being away from home, from those he cared for.

 _Of course, that's not the_ only _thing bothering me..._ Shinji frowned, thinking back to yesterday, just before Commander Saotome had left to return to Stronghold. When she had stopped to speak to him, to let him know about the dread prophecy of the future that Dr. Shikigami and this team's Iron Fist had seen for him and the others. A future that heralded the end of the world, and one in which he, Nadia, and Hikari would...

 _A_ possible _future. It's only a_ possible _future,_ Shinji reminded himself in as stern a manner as possible. _We've seen this before. The future_ can _be changed. And that's exactly what we're going to -_

"Good morning, Shinji," came a voice from behind. A familiar one whose voice's owner Shinji had not realized was present.

Starting at this, surprised that he was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he had not sensed the presence of his own 'sister', Shinji turned to see Super Rei approaching from behind. "Oh, hi!" he started, feeling somewhat sheepish at not noticing her sooner. Rubbing the back of his head nervously, he asked, "So...how are you doing? Sleep okay?"

Nodding slightly, Rei replied, "As well as...could be expected." A beat passed before she asked, "So...you had breakfast?"

"Uh-huh," Shinji nodded. "I'm on my way to the Assembly Hall for that meeting Captain Makinami scheduled. See what else has to be done today." When Rei nodded as well, the meek Kryptonian sighed and added, "I just hope that we can get this place finished today. Especially with all the trouble our two teams are having, trying to work with each other..."

"I know," Rei solemnly agreed. "Things didn't go...very smoothly yesterday."

As far as Shinji was concerned, this was a gross understatement. Whenever members of the Champions and the Avengers had been working in the same area, tensions between the two teams had been so thick that he could have sliced through it with his heat vision. Whether it had been the Champions not liking the idea of those they considered to be amateurs living in the lap of luxury or the Avengers taking umbrage with the 'corporate heroes' or something else altogether, tempers were quick to fray whenever they were in close proximity to each other.

"I'm just glad that Captain Makinami was always around to keep things from getting really out of control," Shinji declared with a weary sigh. "Well, her and a few others. Otherwise -"

"Huh? What was that?!" came the voice of Captain Marvel/Asuka. Looking about, Shinji watched as the wielder of the power of Shazam approached with an expression of confusion. "Did you say that you saw that Mari while you were working?!"

Not sure where Asuka was going with this, Shinji glanced at Rei before shrugging. "Well, yeah," he finally reported. "She was really busy, doing whatever she could to make sure that nobody started fighting." A beat passed before he frowned and asked, "Uh, why?"

"Because she spent the entire damned day sparring with Ranma!" Asuka decreed in an annoyed manner. "Remember?! They were talking about it when they left that meeting, and yesterday, I saw the two of them staggering into that damned lounge after spending _the whole day sparring!"_

"But that's not possible! I _saw_ her stopping an argument between Zuko and Toji! And that's not all!" Shinji protested. "It's not like she can be in two places at the same time!"

As Asuka continued to scowl, Rei frowned slightly and suggested, "Perhaps she can." As both Superman Gamma and Captain Marvel turned towards the albino, she went on to say, "As we've already learned, Captain Makinami has learned a great many techniques and mastered multiple powers."

"So?!" Asuka demanded, her scowl deepening.

"So there _are_ techniques that would allow her to at least appear to be in multiple places at once," Rei went on to explain. "Such as the Multi-Form technique, as well as the Shadow Clone Jutsu."

At this, Shinji exhaled in realization. "Oh, right! Good point!" he declared, nodding in agreement. "That would explain a whole..." he began, only to trail off when a low groan of horror was heard. "Asuka? What is it?"

"Hold on...let me get this straight," Asuka muttered as she stared at Rei, her expression sagging in dismay. "So what you're telling me..is that that Mari can duplicate herself at any time she wants?"

As Shinji and Rei paused to exchange glances, with the blue-haired girl shrugging, she then replied, "I can't be certain. However, given Mari's copy ability and what we've seen, it would make sense." A beat passed before she wondered, "Why do you ask?"

"Because I just had a vision of that pain in the neck...suddenly turning into a _thousand_ pains in the neck..." Asuka groaned miserably even as she placed her palm on her forehead. "Ugh...talk about a nightmare...!"

"I doubt she could manage that on her own," Rei pointed out. "Naruto Uzumaki alternates are only able to accomplish such feats because of the excessive amounts of chi they have as jinchuuriki. Captain Makinami simply wouldn't have the needed power to accomplish that."

Making a face at this, Asuka growled in her throat before muttering, "Well, whatever. Just _one_ of that bitch is one too many if you ask me!" Shaking her head in disgust, she then muttered. _"Gott,_ this has got to be the worst mission we've had in a long time! First, we're stuck here, finishing this overblown Mansion for a bunch of amateurs, then I have to deal with all the crap they're swimming in here, and then we have that psycho almost _nuking_ us last night, and now -!"

"Wait, hold on!" Shinji broke in, looking perplexedly at the redhead. "What do you mean?! What psycho?!"

Now it was Asuka who looked surprised. "You don't -?!" she started to ask, only to frown and turn her gaze towards Rei. "What, you didn't tell him?!"

"No. And I wasn't going to until after we got back to Stronghold," Rei informed her with a slight frown of her own. "We already confirmed that we have no means of dealing with this, and to let this become common knowledge would only increase the tension between our two teams. And since we still haven't finished work on the Mansion...I felt that wouldn't be a good idea."

Asuka groaned at this, her expression one of someone who had just completely screwed up. While Shinji just looked between the two girls with concern and wondered, "What are you talking about? And what's this about you almost getting _nuked?!"_

The two girls exchanged a look, with Rei narrowing her eyes forcefully, making it clear that she felt it was Asuka's duty to deal with this. At which the redhead sighed and grumbled, "Well...it's like this..."

* * *

"Alright, c'mon! Out with it already!" Submariner R demanded as Mari 'Captain America' Makinami sat uncomfortably next to him in the study they had chosen to have breakfast in. "You made it pretty clear that you were counting on getting training from this Happy Grandpa in order to up your game! And that you were hoping that that Kasumi alt would put in a good word for you! So why they heck did you _attack_ her, just because she used the Happo Satsu on a jerkass version of Happosai?"

Groaning hesitantly, Mari began, "Well, you see -"

"Hey, Captain!" came a deep, gruff voice from off to the side. A voice that put a certain stress on the word 'Captain', making it sound almost like an insult. "What are you doing, hanging around here?!"

At this, Ranma looked about to see a powerfully built figure in a skintight black bodysuit approaching with a scowl on his face. He was covered with short, gray hair, his eyes were brown and slitted like a cat's, and his ears were large and pointed. His bodysuit had a series of spikes on it, and upon his belt was the Thundercats insignia.

Mari met the gaze of what had to be an alt of Panthro with a slight groan. "Uh...talking with Submariner R while I'm waiting for our breakfasts to arrive?"

Panthro narrowed his eyes at this. "You better not forget about that meeting you set up for our teams this morning."

"I haven't forgotten anything," Mari assured him in a tired voice. "I realize that you do not have a particularly high opinion of my capabilities, but I _am_ perfectly capable of keeping track of the time _and_ remembering my actions from the previous day."

"Well, you better be," Panthro declared in a forceful manner. "We had enough trouble keeping the peace with the Champions yesterday. After what Anakin pulled, you better believe that it's going to be that much harder to keep everybody in line!"

"Believe me, I am painfully aware of that fact," Mari declared in a more frayed manner. "I was there, after all. I saw what happened to Super Rei when our Sentry in residence blew his stack. And I definitely expect the rest of the Champions to be royally pissed about it when they find out." Then she made a face and asked, "Uh...speaking of which..."

"Well, I don't know about Shinji, but Asuka, Rei, and I...well, we went right to bed after that," Ranma informed them, making a point of not mentioning that they had shared the same bed. "So the rest of the team...they might not know yet."

"Uh-huh. And that's the kind of luck that I _haven't_ been having much of lately," Mari declared with a roll of her eyes. "Alright, Panther. I'll be heading to the Assembly Hall posthaste as soon as I've put something in my belly. But _please_ allow me the benefit of a peaceful breakfast, if you will? I get the feeling this is going to be the only peace I'm gonna have all day!"

The Panthro alt just scowled for a time longer before stating, "Just be ready to do your job, girl. There's a lot riding on this. And we can't afford to make any mistakes."

"I am aware of this, Panthro. Believe me, there is none more aware of just how much is at stake here than I am!" Mari continued in a voice that made it sound like she had woken up this morning with precisely one functioning nerve in her entire body, and the Thunderian was presently stepping all over it. "So _please,_ just - huh?"

As Mari frowned and looked to the side, Ranma and Panthro followed her gaze, and soon saw a couple of robots approaching with trays laden with food. "Sorry for the delay, Captain Makinami, Submariner R," came the ever-polite voice of JARVIS. "But breakfast is served."

Smiling as he studied the meal approaching, Ranma took an experimental sniff and was pleased. Though it didn't smell quite up to the snuff of some restaurants he had been to, it still smelled good. And as the robots served them their meal, he suspected that it would taste good as well.

As Ranma gathered up the plates of food that were meant for him, he noted Panthro giving Mari a stern look. "Just be sure to get to the Assembly Hall when you're done," he ordered her. "We've still got a lot of work to get done today."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Mari shot back, adding a slight bow to her words. Which was all it took to make the Panthro alt narrow his eyes in disgusted disbelief before giving a shake of his head and departing.

"Wow. He's a charmer," Ranma declared as he poured himself a glass of orange juice. "So what's his story?"

"Similar to most Panthro alts, I suppose; escaped the destruction of his home planet and headed for Earth," Mari began as she tended to her own meal. "Except that, in his case, during a major battle with Mumm-Ra, he and the rest of his team were time-warped into different times." Then she frowned and added, "At least, that was his best guess. He was never able to find the others in the time he landed in, so he figured that they had wound up some _when_ else."

"Uh-huh," Ranma noted even as he sampled some of the miso soup he had ordered. While not the best he had ever had, it still tasted good, and after the day he had had yesterday, that was all he really cared about. "So where and when did he wind up?"

"He landed sometime in the late 1900s. In _Wakanda,_ of all places," Mari declared even as she ate one of her omelet puffs.

His eyes popping out at this, Ranma stared at Mari for a time. "You're kidding."

"Nope!" Mari declared with a shake of her head. "Anyway, there he was, a panther man in a land that worshiped a panther god and was led by a king who was titled the Black Panther. The Wakandans took it as a sign from their god, or something along those lines. And when Panthro showed them the kind of knack he had for technology, combat, and strategy...his rise up the chain of command was so fast that he might as well have been launched out of a cannon. So before you know it, he was the chief advisor to King T'Chaka himself."

Shaking his head at all of the crazy ways the multiverse could come together, Ranma wondered, "Did he ever see any of his teammates again?"

"Not that I know of," Mari admitted with a sad shrug. "But the Wakandans, as far as they were concerned, he was the best thing since sliced bread. When King T'Chaka was killed by Klaw, because Panthro was so popular - and because T'Challa had been schooled outside of Wakanda, which sank _his_ popularity like a brick - the council chose Panthro to be the next Black Panther. And he accepted, with the provision that he'd keep the job until T'Challa came of age."

Making a thoughtful noise in his throat as he nodded, Ranma then noted, "He's not exactly a fan of you, is he? One of your problem cases?"

"Oh, yeah. Though, in his case, I don't suppose I can really blame him," Mari admitted with a lopsided smile. "As I understand it, the Wakandans of his world treated him like he walked on water, and they adopted a lot of his Thunderian designs without any hesitation. The royal palace was remodeled based on the design of a Cat's Lair, they adopted the Thundercats insignia as the royal emblem of Wakanda...they practically turned their entire country into a miniature version of Thundera. And that was _before_ he became the next Black Panther." Giving this a moment to sink in, she then sighed and admitted, "And I guess it's kinda hard to go from that to being on a team with a little girl who has no royal lineage or anything like that and that he's still expected to take orders from her. And he's so used to doing things his way...it really makes dealing with him an uphill battle."

"I heard somebody complaining about someone constantly trying to redesign the Mansion before it was even finished," Ranma noted with a raised eyebrow. "That him?"

"Uh-huh. Kept trying to incorporate design elements from a Cat's Lair in the Mansion, among other things," Mari explained sourly. "Now I don't blame him for having his doubts - hell, I've got a lot of them myself! - so I try to humor him where I can. I mean...take the cat statues outside the Mansion! They're based on the look of a Cat's Lair! I also gave him everything he could need to build a new advanced prototype Thundertank...hell, I even added a new spell to my shield at his suggestion, just to keep him happy...and lighten up on his nagging!"

For a moment, Ranma was tempted to ask how Mari had come to have her shield enchanted in the first place, but then he remembered that they had a long day ahead. "Well, we better get eating," he declared even as he cracked open an egg. "I don't want you in any more hot water with him."

"Wait. There's no need to hurry," Mari told him, much to Ranma's surprise. "I mean...you're not one of the speedsters. Hell, the reason Commander Saotome brought you along was to keep me and your Asuka from getting in each other's faces!" Then she heaved a deep sigh before adding, "Besides, it's been a really long time since I've been able to just...sit back and talk about stuff like this. And I don't want it to end so soon."

Blinking a few times at this, Ranma then reminded her, "But what about the meeting? _You_ have to be there, so..."

"And I will! Just watch!" Mari declared even as she set down her utensils and formed a ninja hand sign. A moment later, there was a large puff of smoke, and as it cleared...

"What in the -?!" Ranma gasped as a _second_ Mari, identical to the first, emerged from the rapidly fading smoke.

"I'll be at the meeting before anybody else is!" Mari declared with a smirk. "So head on up to the Assembly Hall, and be braced for some bullshit!"

"Like you gotta warn me about that..." Mari's doppelganger grumbled sourly.

Watching in surprise as the duplicate Mari departed, Ranma then focused on the original Mari. "Shadow Clone Jutsu?!" he gaped in shock. "You know that one as well?!"

"Oh, yeah. Picked it up on my training journey," Mari confirmed with a smile. "Comes in real handy all of the time. I mean, I can't spam it like alts of Naruto with Kurama, but...yeah, it comes in handy." A beat passed before she added, "Fact is, it's the only reason I was able to keep up with everything that went down yesterday!"

"What do you mean?" Ranma wondered with a slight frown.

"Well, when we stopped by my apartment before we headed out to spar, I created two shadow clones to keep an eye on things while we went at it," Mari quickly explained. "And let me tell you, it's a good thing I did! Trying to keep my team and yours playing nice and cooperating was like transporting a ton of TNT and a ton of matches, all in one truck!"

"Whoa...it was _that_ bad?!" Ranma groaned in displeasure.

"Oh, yeah. Turns out I managed to piss off more people than I realized when I took apart Superman Gamma and the others," Mari grumbled. "I really do have a talent for making people mad." Heaving a deep sigh, she then noted, "It also gave me a chance to report back to the Infinite Avengers Tower, let them know about Iron Fist's Shrine Nightmare and Doc Shikigami's divination. And...see if they could send us some backup to help deal with whatever's about to go down. I mean...if those two were right about...what they told us, then..."

As Mari shrugged, Ranma nodded in a thoughtful manner. "Well, that makes sense. Good thinking, and - _wait a second!"_ As the star-spangled girl reared back with an expression of surprise, the Atlantean glared at her with a look of annoyance. "You said that you created two shadow clones to cover for you while we were sparring. Right?"

"That's right," Mari nodded, her face making it clear she had no idea what Ranma was talking about.

"As I understand it, the Shadow Clone Jutsu divides up the amount of chi you have between yourself and the number of shadow clones you create. If you make six of them, you have one-sixth of your power left. You make four, you have one-fourth left." When Mari again nodded, Ranma frowned heavily and concluded, "So basically, what you're saying is that you went into a spar with me when you were down to _one-third_ of your normal power level and was _still_ able to keep up with me _the entire time?!"_

Mari opened her mouth to reply, only for her jaw to fall in realization and her eyes to widen in surprised embarrassment. "Uh, well...I had a couple protein shakes before I took off?" she tried, giving a sheepish shrug. When Ranma just scowled as his pride pricked at him, she added, "Also, I'm pretty...energetic by nature, so -"

"Just shut up and tell me why you decided to attack that Kasumi already," Ranma grumbled.

Having the courtesy to at least look mortified over her faux pas, Mari went on to explain, "Well...you know how there are different types of fiction, right? Folks from a Dragon Ball universe are called DBs, we have Marvel and DC and amalgams and -"

"I know all about _that!"_ Ranma then made a face before adding, "Though to be honest, I can't believe that some guy sitting at a computer wrote out my entire life story! I mean...I remember every birthday I ever had, all the times Asuka and Rei and I would get up to something when we were kids...every last bit of my life that happened before we landed in this crazy Coreline! No way anybody can convince me that someone just...made me up!" A beat passed before he added, "I prefer to think that all those fanfic authors were just in tune with another timeline. Like what happened when that version of the Justice League landed in the world where the Justice Guild of America used to live."

"I know _that_ feeling!" Mari declared with a nod. "Nobody could tell me that a life as screwed up as mine could have been dreamed up by some fat, sweaty, pimple-faced nerd dwelling in his mother's basement!"

Nodding in agreement, Ranma then asked, "So...okay. What does this have to do with you attacking that Kasumi?"

A beat passed as Mari shamefacedly went, "Well, you see..."

* * *

"I - what?" the now massively muscle-bound Kasumi sputtered out as she looked up at Mari and Maria in confusion. "What did you...?"

"You heard me!" Mari decreed with a voice filled with righteous indignation even as she hefted up the alt of Happosai the parasitic filth before her had so eagerly drained to near death for her own selfish benefit. "I don't know what this old man did, but I'm pretty sure that he _didn't_ deserve to be vampired half to death just so you could lord it over him!"

"That's right!" Maria decreed as she clutched her crucifix pendant, ready and waiting to transform into Thunderstrike. "Now either you restore him, or you shall face a fury unlike anything you've ever - _gyah!"_

Starting at the sound of her best friend's pained cry, Mari looked about in shock to see Maria crumpling down to her knees. And to her further surprise, she saw an aged old man that was virtually identical to the decimated Happosai alt she held on Maria's back, a single aged finger placed firmly at her back.

"Goldilocks!" Mari cried out in alarm.

"Grandfather Happy!" Kasumi cried out in clear delight.

"Now see here, young ladies!" the Happosai alt began even as he stood upon the fallen Maria's back. "I don't know what exactly is going on here, but you better have a very good reason for threatening one of my star pupils!"

"Yeah, we have a good reason!" Mari declared in a vehement manner. "Your 'star pupil' just stole all this old guy's strength just to make herself better! I mean, look at him! He's barely even breathing!"

"Is _that_ what this is all about?" Happosai wondered with a slight frown. "Why are you making such a big deal over nothing?"

"Over noth- _crippling someone for life is 'nothing'?!"_ Mari shrilled hatefully.

"Oh, he's hardly crippled!" Happosai declared, pausing to bonk the other Happosai Mari held with his pipe. "All she did was drain some of his chi. All he needs is a day's rest, and he'll be back up to his old tricks. More's the pity, I'd say."

"She drained his _chi?!"_ Mari repeated blankly, now feeling rather out of her depths. "You mean...she _isn't_ a muscle leech?!"

* * *

"So _that's_ why you attacked her!" Ranma declared, finally understanding what had happened. "You thought she was a femdom fiction!"

"Bingo," Mari grimaced with a look of humiliation. "Needless to say, that wasn't the way I had wanted to meet a prospective teacher!"

 _I'll bet!_ Ranma thought, despite not being able to blame Mari overmuch if that was the case. Various forms of what were commonly referred to as fetish fictions were some of the absolutely most scorned and detested fictions in all of Coreline, with muscle leeches and other such women that existed only to crush, bully, enslave, and murder others being among the absolute worst.

When the CLULESS virus had started dragging people to Coreline from across the multiverse, people who specialized in online pornography received a very rude surprise when their more extreme fetishistic creations put them through the same kind of hell that they had been getting off on for years. And what had seemed to be harmless and sexy on the other side of the screen turned out to be fatal for them when the Vanishing first took place. But that was only the tip of that particular iceberg.

It was widely assumed that the creators of the CLULESS virus absolutely hated that form of online porn. While standard fictions came down with what was known as Authored Rage when in close proximity to the author of their stories, fictions from worlds that revolved around them being crushed, beaten, humiliated, and worse suffered a state of murderous savagery that made Authored Rage look like a mild temper tantrum when in close proximity to those that so graphically depicted their suffering for the sake of a quick thrill. Which was why, in less than a year after the Vanishing, every writer and producer of works featuring things such as muscle leeches and so on had been brutally murdered by the victims of their stories.

And as for the muscle leeches themselves and others of their ilk, they generally suffered one of two fates when arriving at the Core Timeline. Either whatever physical or magical laws that allowed them to become so monstrously huge or whatever didn't exist or simply failed when in this world, causing them to either explode or die in some other horrifying fashion, or they were forced to go into hiding. For virtually _everyone,_ real or fiction, came down with a milder form of Authored Rage when in close proximity to them. An instinctual need to destroy them utterly.

"I'll bet," Ranma nodded somberly. "But...if you knew about muscle leeches, then you should have known what happens whenever someone gets close to one of them. I mean, all anybody wants to do to them is -"

"Is murder them as painfully and horribly as possible? So the Happy Grandpa later informed me!" Mari replied.

"Yeah. I mean...there was this one time we were fighting the Joker R gang, and we wound up crashing into the lair of an alt of Amy Hardstone who was in the process of raping a guy to death!" Ranma went on, his features creasing with disgust. "And the instant we spotted her and what she was doing, everybody just stopped fighting."

"And then what happened?" Mari wondered with a raised eyebrow.

"We just sort of looked at each for a few seconds, and then Joker R said, 'You know, I'm all for breaking ribs and cracking people's faces. But that? That just isn't funny!' And then he used his acid-spraying flower to melt her face right off," Ranma declared, shuddering at the memory of that particularly gruesome kill. "That has to be the _only_ time he's ever killed anybody and gotten a _cash reward_ instead of jail time for it!"

"Oh, boy!" Mari whistled in low amazement. "That _definitely_ had to be a first!"

"It was," Ranma confirmed. "But, anyway, my point is that, if that Kasumi had been a muscle leech or any other extreme fetish fiction, you would have sensed it! You would've wanted to kill her the instant you laid eyes on her! So...if you knew about muscle leeches, then how come you didn't know about the other part?"

"Well, you see, I had actually bumped into a muscle leech. An alt of Sakura Haruno that got off on kidnapping people when she could, draining them dry, and then orgasming as she crushed them to death between her legs." Then she scowled fiercely and added, "And I felt that overwhelming urge to kill, alright. But I thought that was due to me finding her in a warehouse she had staked out for herself, crushing my best friend to death!"

As these words were heard, Ranma felt his eyes widen in shock. "Wait, what?! You mean - she kidnapped -?!" he sputtered out in surprise. "But - how?! Couldn't she have used her hammer to take that bitch down?!"

"She might have, but...well, this happened back when she was still a major mess, and there's a lot of stuff Goldilocks doesn't like talking about from back in those days. And what happened that day...she never talks about it at all," Mari explained with a solemn shrug. "All I know was that one day she went out walking, and was way late in coming back. I was worried, because...like I said, this was back when she was still a major mess, and the neighborhood we lived in was pretty far south of being Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood. So I tracked her scent, found where another intersected it and followed it to the warehouse where the Suckera alt was hiding out." Then her eyes fell to the floor and she muttered, "And then I found Goldilocks. Drained down to little more than skin and bones, and being crushed between the bitch's thighs. All the while that sick, twisted piece of filth was moaning away like she was about to hit the high notes."

"Wow," Ranma muttered in a low, sympathetic manner. "So...what'd you do?"

"What I did was...I saw red," Mari admitted with a slow shake of her head. "I leaped straight at that oversized bitch with my shield held up front. Went right for the throat; least amount of muscle, easy target. And she was too busy orgasming to torture to see me coming until it was too late."

When Mari trailed off, Ranma felt his insides twist somewhat despite being unsurprised. "You killed her."

"Took the bitch's head off with one shot," Mari confirmed with a nod. "And Maria...she was barely alive. I rushed her to the _American Dream;_ luckily, Tai's medical systems were up to patching her back up. Which was a good thing, since our medical coverage was virtually nonexistent. But even so, even with the _American Dream_ and Storm Bringer, it took a lot of work for her to recover from that one. Physical therapy, counseling...you name it."

Nodding sadly to this, Ranma then wondered, "And what about you?" When Mari frowned in confusion, he asked, "Did you get in trouble, or...have any problems...sleeping after that one?"

Blinking a few times at this, Mari then shook her head. "I spent a few days under investigation. After all, heroes killing is a pretty big no-no in most folks' books. But considering that it was living garbage that died, nobody really gave a shit. And as for me sleeping...I hate the idea of having to kill. It's always been a last resort in my book," she admitted. "But that freak was pure _evil._ She was a bully, a rapist, and worse all wrapped up in one. And she was torturing my best friend to death, all for the sake of a quick thrill." Frowning heavily, she then heaved a deep breath. "The only thing that kept me awake was making sure that Goldilocks was alright. And when I finally fell asleep, I slept like a baby."

* * *

"I see. So that's how it is," Happy Grandpa noted, a solemn expression on his face as he nodded thoughtfully.

"Oh, my," Kasumi moaned solemnly in the wake of hearing Mari and Maria explain their reason for attacking the still massive woman. "How dreadful..."

 _You have no idea,_ Maria thought, unable to keep from shuddering as she thought back to that dread time. Of how she had been trapped, unable to move, between the Sakura alt's massive thighs, nothing more than a toy for her to break, all for the sake of greater pleasure. All her strength, her training, everything she had done to hone her body to fighting trim, gone and wasted on a selfish beast with an insatiable hunger for more.

But Maria didn't say that. She didn't say anything about those dreadful days. All she did was say, "I do apologize that my friend and I...we leaped to conclusions about you, Kasumi. But I do hope that...well, you can understand, and forgive our mistake."

"Oh, but of course!" Kasumi promptly assured them. "And I can certainly see how you could misunderstand what happened!"

Nodding to this, Maria then looked hard at the aged old man they had come to see. "And you say that this... Happo Fifty-Yen Satsu is perfectly safe and harmless?"

"Well, I wouldn't go _that_ far!" Happy Grandpa promptly corrected. "It drains the radiant chi from a target, rendering them temporarily weakened while the user feeds on the siphoned energy, and so does no lasting _physical_ harm. But I can't imagine that it would be safe for someone to have it used on them over and over again every single day and all." Then the aged master shrugged and added, "But then, you could say the same thing about being punched in the face! You're bound to recover from a single blow, but if it happens over and over again on a daily basis, then I'd be willing to say that can't be too good for you."

 _The same way nonlethal weapons used repeatedly on the same target would likely be hazardous,_ Maria nodded even as she glanced over at Mari. With the shield-wielder nodding back.

"Well...okay, I'm willing to let it go at that. But I would like a chance to make sure this technique is as safe as you make it out to be. That is if we wind up learning it," Mari hesitantly stated. "I mean, no offense, but...I'm okay with beating bad guys up. But crippling them just to make me better? I might as well be a rapist!"

Chuckling at this, Happy Grandpa noted, "That's certainly a commendable attitude to have. Although I should remind you that I haven't agreed to teach you two anything just yet." As Maria and Mari nodded their understanding, the old man glanced over at Kasumi. "And speaking of teaching...uh, Kasumi...?"

"Huh? What are you - _oh!"_ Kasumi started, only to gasp as she looked down at herself. And realized that she had completely forgotten that her clothing was little more than tatters decorating the floor. "Oh, my! With everything that happened and the girls' story - Grandfather Happy, can I -?!"

"Yes, yes, of course. The bathrobe is right where you found it last time," Happosai nodded, smiling fondly at the massive Amazon.

"Thank you," Kasumi nodded even as she moved to leave. But even as she was starting away, she paused and looked back to ask, "Uh...should I release the energy I absorbed or process it?"

"Process it, of course!" Happy Grandpa declared. "No point in letting perfectly good chi go to waste!" Nodding to this, Kasumi then hurriedly departed. "And be sure to call the police to pick up yet another moral degenerate who was trying to pass himself off as me! Oh, the things I have to put up with!"

"I will!" Kasumi assured her master as she left. All the while Happy Grandpa watched with his eyes glued to her bare form.

At this, Maria shot Mari a look that said, 'I don't think this old goat is as above it all as Kasumi made him out to be'. With the Super Soldier giving a look that said, 'Maybe, but from what I've heard, for an alt of Happosai, this is probably pretty damned saintly!'

"So...be honest with me," Mari wondered even as she glanced in the direction Kasumi had departed in. "If this Satsu thing isn't a strength drain trick, then how come she went from the original waif to Ms. Mega Muscle when she used it? And what did you mean about her processing chi?"

"It's actually quite simple!" Happy Grandpa declared. "The Happo Fifty-Yen Satsu and all other variations of that technique work by allowing you to absorb the fighting energy of an enemy and the process it. So naturally, your body has to adjust in order to handle all that extra energy." A beat passed before he then went on to explain, "Now you may have seen a snake having eaten an animal much larger than itself, right? And how the snake is all stretched and bloated while it's digesting its meal?

Nodding to this, Maria then asked, "So her muscles grew to accommodate the extra energy?" When Happy Grandpa nodded, the blonde frowned and wondered, "But does that mean she didn't actually become any stronger? Just larger?"

"No, no, of course not! She's _much_ stronger in that state!" Happy Grandpa was quick to assure them. "However, it's also true that she'll only remain that way as long as it takes to process the chi she's absorbed." Then he gave the girls a sly smile before explaining, "But once she's done processing it, her own _base_ strength, stamina, and overall health will all be improved."

Making a mild face at this, Mari shrugged and said, "So...what? You're saying that sucking up chi like that is sorta like the mystic equivalent of a high-octane protein shake?"

Now it was Happy Grandpa who made a face, only to give a soft chuckle. "Well, I haven't heard it described quite like _that_ before, but...I suppose that's as good a way to put it as any." He chuckled a moment or so longer, but then settled down. "However, I think it's high time that we got down to business. Now, you two say that you're unemployed heroes, and you're looking to improve your skills by learning the ways of Anything-Goes Martial Arts."

"That's right!" Mari was quick to confirm. "If we've learned anything since we landed here, there's a whole new level of badass out there, and we just don't have what it takes to make the grade right now. So if we're going to make it in this world, then we need to up our game!"

Nodding to this, Maria then added, "Also, I have to be honest with you. We've tried and failed to find employment, despite the fact that we've had a spotless record since our arrival in the Core Timeline. So we feel our best chance to build a new life for ourselves would be to improve our skills."

"I understand. And true, it's not easy to rebuild one's life in this Core Timeline. Goodness knows that I learned as much myself!" Happy Grandpa muttered with a shake of his head. But then he gave the girls a hard look. "However, you must understand that the martial way isn't something that's done on weekends or part-time! In order to master the way of the warrior, you must have discipline, dedication, and a strong sense of right!"

"Of course!" Mari quickly assured the old man. "Trust me, we aren't going to back down just because things get a little tough!"

Nodding to this, Happy Grandpa then studied the girls for a time. "If you both really are in the hero business, then you certainly must be licensed," he noted in a thoughtful manner. "I'll want to have a look at your licenses, have your background checked. Make certain that you both have as clean a record as you say."

"We understand," Maria nodded in a calm manner. "And while I admit that we haven't seen much action since our arrival in the Core Timeline, it's true that we both have clean records. That won't be a problem."

"I certainly hope so! Because we do _not_ practice the martial ways to beat up people who can't fight back, or to wow boys or whatever!" Happy Grandpa declared in a vehement manner. "We must practice both the ways of _peace_ as well as war! For the true warrior, fighting is _always_ the last resort!"

Despite everything, Maria couldn't help but smirk somewhat even as she glanced over at Mari. "Certainly," the blonde agreed, thinking that her friend would be more than happy to have fighting as something other than a last resort. "It's better to prevent a battle outright than to fight needlessly."

As Happy Grandpa nodded, Kasumi suddenly reappeared, this time wearing a mammoth bathrobe that just barely fit her still-oversized frame. "The police will arrive shortly. And I checked on the other Happosai. He's still secure." Then she gave a sheepish frown before admitting, "Though I do wish that I had remembered about my...clothing sooner. I just hope that he really was unconscious while I was tying him down."

"I'm sure he was, Kasumi dear," Happy Grandpa quickly assured her. "And as for you two girls...you'll have to wait until Anything Goes Martial Arts Incorporated is done doing a background check on the both of you before I make any final decisions. But I expect you to understand that, in the event that I _do_ take you on as students, that I will expect you both to work hard, and be responsible in your training. For in teaching you the secrets of Anything-Goes Martial Arts, I will essentially be training you in how to cause great harm and suffering to others, should you abuse the knowledge imparted upon you. So before anything else, I expect you both to swear that if I should choose to teach you, that you will not abuse your abilities for selfish and cruel reasons. Are we clear on that?"

A few seconds passed as the two girls glanced at each other, with them exchanging a nod. Then Mari doffed her backpack and unzipped it. And as Happy Grandpa and Kasumi looked on, she carefully slid out the nigh-invulnerable shield that was her near-constant companion.

"Oh, my...is that -?!" Kasumi gasped in clear surprise as Mari held up the star-spangled shield.

"Oh, my stars and garters!" Happy Grandpa seconded, his aged eyes bulging even as Mari set down the shield before them.

"I swear..." Mari spoke even as she placed her right hand squarely upon the star at the center of her shield, "...on my great-grandfather's name...and upon this shield...I will _never_ use what you teach me to hurt or bully or torture _anyone_ for my own selfishness!"

"And I also swear thusly," Maria declared as she struck her crucifix pendant upon the ground, doing her best to control her reaction to once again being remade in the glorious form of Thunderstrike, "upon this hammer."

The two denizens of Nerima just stood there, staring in amazement at the two heroes. And though there was a long way to go, Thunderstrike was certainly optimistic that they had at least gotten past the bad first impression they had made.

* * *

"After that, Happy Grandpa had our licenses checked. And although it _was_ mentioned that I'd killed that alt of Sakura, it _had_ been confirmed that I had been saving Goldilocks in the process. And besides, given the general opinion of muscle leeches like her, nobody gave a damn about what happened to her, anyway," Mari continued, speaking after swallowing her latest mouthful of breakfast. "So a few days later, we started training under the Happy Grandpa."

"I hope that went better than the kind of hell _most_ Happosai alts put their students through!" Ranma declared as he chowed down on some rice. "What kind of training did you do?"

"Well, it started off small. Pressure point manipulation to stimulate our metabolisms so that we could better channel and manipulate chi, as well as special exercises to properly prime our bodies," Mari explained. "And then he showed us how to use the Satsu, as well as some other chi manipulation tricks to help push our bodies beyond normal human limits."

Nodding, Ranma then wondered, "Did you ever check into the Satsu like you said? You know, make sure it was safe to use?"

"It was the very first thing we did after we learned it!" Mari confirmed. "Goldilocks took us back to our place so Tai could run a complete examination on someone we used the Satsu on. Both before _and_ after the fact." A beat passed before she added, "It was the only way to be certain that we got accurate results."

"But...if you did _that,_ then the only way that would work is if..." Ranma started, only for his eyes to widen in shock. "You...you would have had to..."

"Yeah. One of us had to play human guinea pig. What fun," Mari groused sourly. "But it was the only way we could make absolutely certain that the move was as safe as advertised."

Grimacing at the thought of this, Ranma then asked, "So...which one of you...which of you...?"

"I volunteered for it. I figured that, as a Super Soldier, I could handle it better than Goldilocks could. And she had already been through some serious hell after what that Suckera alt did to her." But then Mari made a face and went on to say, "But Goldilocks, she insisted that _she_ had to be the one it got used on _because_ she was a normal human as herself, like the folks we'd likely be using the Satsu on. If we tested it on me, then there was no guarantee that a regular person would be able to shrug it off as easily as I could." Grunting softly and shaking her head, Mari grumbled, "Sometimes, I really do _hate it_ when she makes sense!"

Groaning in sympathy, Ranma then said, "I'm guessing that she came out of it alright, though."

"Yeah. Tai detected no lasting physical ailments. And all Goldilocks needed was a good meal and some rest to get her swizzle back in her stick," Mari confirmed. "Still, just to be fair, I had her Satsu me back later. And that is something I don't _ever_ want to go through again!"

"Yeah, I'll bet!" Ranma declared with a chuckle. "So, I guess that training was next up on your agenda! What kind of training did Happy Grandpa put your through?"

"Well, the first thing he did was check our fighting ability. And since we already knew hand-to-hand, it wasn't long before we tested out of that phase, and moved on to pushing our bodies to new levels of awesome. And as for the actual training...you know how alts of Master Roshi are supposed to turn everyday work into training?" When Ranma nodded, Mari said, "Same sort of deal, except less insane. We helped do deliveries, hefting boxes at warehouses, construction...you name it! Though we switched up jobs for different days to work different parts of our bodies. Then later at night, we'd help with the Pervert Patrol. Any panty thieves, perverts, martial arts goons, or whatever we ran into, they got Satsued, we got buffed, and the police picked them up before they could cause more trouble." Chuckling at the image this inspired, Ranma nodded as Mari continued. "Anyway, once we got to a certain level, Happy Grandpa and one of his teachers began drilling us on some more advanced fighting tricks."

"Another teacher, huh?" Ranma noted with a hint of interest. "Was it an alt of someone I know?"

"Maybe. It was a Ryoga Hibiki alt," Mari informed him. "He and his new wife had just gotten back from their honeymoon." Then she gave him a sly smile and added, "BTW, that Ryoga's wife? She was an alt of Raven."

Of all the things that Ranma could have expected Mari to say, that had not even come close to being anywhere near the ride side of close to being one of them. _"Raven?!_ As in the _Teen Titan Raven?!"_ he incredulously demanded. "The half-demon empath and the walking angst nuke?! _Married?!_ Are you _kidding me?!"_

"Nope, nope! I'm completely serious! They had tied the knot and the works!" Then Mari gave an even deeper smirk and added, "And I should know! Before we left Nerima for the first time, the bun in her oven was on full display!"

Smacking himself in the head at this image, Ranma couldn't help but laugh at the sheer insanity of such a pairing. "I don't believe this...every time I think this crazy world can't possibly surprise me anymore, it goes out of its way to prove me wrong, and -!" Then something about Mari's other words clicked, and he frowned. "Hey, wait a minute...you said something about leaving Nerima 'the first time'...what did you mean by that?"

"Well, after our basic training was done, Happy Grandpa was pretty pleased with our progress, so he told us to go out and see the world. Discover more martial arts to train ourselves up on," Mari quickly explained. "But that we should come back in a few months, and if we did good and got better, then he'd have something special for the both of us."

"Huh," Ranma nodded thoughtfully. "So what did you do next?"

Smiling easily, Mari started, "Well..."

* * *

 _Other me, you better be having a grand time, chatting with Submariner R,_ thought the shadow clone Mari that was presently trying to rein in the sheer chaos that was the Assembly Hall. _Because I sure as hell am going to need some positive memories to make up for all of this bullshit!_

When the shadow clone had arrived in the Assembly Hall, she had hoped that she would have at least a few minutes to brace herself for the first. Maybe even address her team and the Champions there a few at a time. Get things in order to be able to deal with whatever problems there were to be dealt with and give everyone their orders so that they could complete the Mansion as best as they could.

But those hopes had been dashed when she had entered to find over half of her team and several of the visiting Champions gathered there to shout and argue with each other. And the clone's mood had sunk even more when it was confirmed that the incident involving their Sentry in residence had become common knowledge among the Champions.

"I don't believe this!" snarled the Ukyo/Aurora fusion as she glared at clone Mari. "You actually brought a _Sentry_ into Chicago?! Do you have any idea just how dangerous those schizophrenic nightmares are?!"

"My master is no madman," Ahsoka countered, despite not being the target of Ukyo's words. "And he is perfectly aware of the danger that -"

"You stay out of this!" growled the Toji/Quicksilver fusion. "And as for you, Captain Clueless, why didn't you warn us that -?!"

Stingray Industries was sent full information regarding our current roster. Including Anakin, Ax interrupted in his typically well-mannered fashion.

"That's right. And so I have to admit to having assumed that Commander Saotome would have briefed you on that subject before you even came over," clone Mari chimed in. "Now, I...apologize for what happened. However -"

"We don't _want_ an apology!" Ryoko sneered dangerously. "What we _want_ is for you to _do_ something about this psychopath!"

"My master is _no madman!"_ Ahsoka declared once more, taking up station in front of the Flash amalgam. "He suffered greatly as a result of Palpatine's manipulations, and _continues_ to suffer for it to this very day!"

"Then do us all a favor and get him shipped off to Iron Haven already!" Misato/Quicksilver impatiently suggested. "Insane or not, he nearly _killed_ several people! _Including_ your own leader!"

"That's right!" Hikari/Northstar chimed in. "Now look, I can understand why you might not think about telling us about this creep when Commander Saotome had already been informed, but still - wait, have you contacted the Commander about this yet?"

"No, not yet," clone Mari admitted. "I called earlier, but she hadn't gotten up yet. And - I felt it would be better to wait until she was awake before trying again. I didn't want to risk word of you people being here getting out, not when you're not even here 'officially'."

"Good thinking...for a change," Asuka grudgingly admitted. "But - aw, hell! I'll give the Commander the bad news! I can access Champions priority channels that you can't! That'll keep this off the grid."

Grateful that this would be at least one less problem for her to worry about, clone Mari found herself wondering not for the first time how in blazes she had wound up in this mess. It had been one thing, being a leader when it had just been Maria and herself. Even when they had begun building the Extraordinary Avengers, it hadn't been overly difficult. But this...

 _Why in blazes anybody would_ want _to put up with this kind of abuse is beyond my comprehension!_ clone Mari thought as she thought back to the times she had been discussing with Submariner R. _Dammit...things were a_ lot _simpler back when Goldilocks and I were training! Bouncing from one place to the other, getting stronger, no real hassles or -!_

"That's good," Superman Gamma declared with a slight nod. "But there's still the matter of Anakin. Whether he meant to or not, your Sentry still endangered the lives of four Champions and nearly _killed_ my sister. And even if we can't do anything about it legally, that's something I can't ignore."

"I understand. And I appreciate your concern," Ahsoka replied, looking very much like someone who was struggling to retain control of her frustrations. "But the only reason this happened was because of that impulsive youngling. If he hadn't barged into our apartment, none of this would have happened."

"Don't try and pin this on Impulse Shinji!" declared Samantha Simpson with a scowl. "He may have entered your apartment without permission, but that doesn't justify Anakin almost incinerating him _and_ the others!"

"I never said that it did!" Ahsoka returned, her temper clearly fraying. "But you all know that my master is struggling with the lingering taint of Palpatine! And that he is ready to end his own life if the need arises! If he were to be left alone, there wouldn't be any problems!"

"Are you so sure?" Sam countered. "Look, I get that Anakin has those thermal detonators you just told us about set up so that he can...but are we even sure that would do the job?! I've read up on the various Sentries, and they can do things that are completely insane! Even by the standards of _this_ world!"

Noting this valid point, Mari focused on the alt of Samantha Simpson, formerly of the WHOOP of her native verse. Sam was a veteran espionage agent who had been captured by a band of lunatic feminazis called the Sisterhood, a guild of warrior woman that had been active since ancient times. Their goal was the total elimination of all men and 'inferior women' who didn't measure up to their warrior standards so they could take over the world. Despite the fact that their plan had a very large and obvious flaw to (namely, how to avoid humanity's extinction if their plans succeeded), their leader Ariel was obsessed with carrying out their bigoted aims.

After an encounter with Sam and her fellow WHOOP agents, Ariel had lost the stone that was the source of much of her powers. But like any fanatic, she came up with a new plan; using science to transform the Sisterhood into augmented Super Soldiers to take over the world. And since Sam's great-great-great grandmother was one of the Chosen Ones of the Sisterhood, but she had also defied them in saving the world, Ariel had gone the typical route of using the enemy as a guinea pig for her experiment.

 _Which backfires more often than not,_ clone Mari thought with a roll of her eyes. _I mean - okay, I sorta understand the logic there. After all, if the serum or whatever doesn't work, you could wind up killing one of your own people. So instead, why not use your enemy? If it works, you can kill them and go about your evil way. And if it_ doesn't _work, then you've still killed someone you wanted to kill, anyway. So either way, you accomplish_ something _! But why don't these creeps ever take into account the possibility that their test subject will break out or be rescued and be subsequently_ very pissed off _and that much eager to take it out on you?! Not to mention powerful enough to make you even more miserable than ever?!_

That's what had happened with alts of Wolverine and X-23. It also happened with at least some alts of Bane. And it's what happened with Sam when her fellow WHOOP agents had shown up to save her. And so it was that Ariel and followers reaped the bounties of transforming an enemy into a Super Soldier; the absolute worst ass-kicking they had ever had in their lives.

Sam had already been a good agent, much more serious and mentally capable than her friends Clover and Alex. And her transformation had put her on a whole new level, for although the Sisterhood's formula was different from those that had been used on Mari, it had still buffed her up, giving her significantly increased strength, speed, stamina, and more. These things had made her a vastly superior spy, and so she had been given a new name and new position in the agency.

"Black Widow's got a point," Slaughter declared in a gruff manner. "If anything else happens that sets Anakin off, we're going to be the first ones to get hit by it." Then he paused to scowl that much more at Ahsoka before growling, "And then there's the fact that we were never properly informed about those thermal detonators in the first place."

"Exactly!" Sam chimed in, only to groan slightly before muttering, "And _why_ did I let Alex talk me into using a _spider_ as a codename? Guh..."

Smirking as Sam muttered under her breath about this, wondering why she didn't change her codename and reminding herself about her friends, clone Mari watched as Ahsoka groaned and stated, "I told you; it was decided that knowledge of the detonators should be kept on a need-to-know basis. And with the detonators configured for the minimal blast radius, there is no danger to anyone outside of my master's meditation pod."

"Maybe so," Michiru conceded. "But I still feel that we had a right to know about that. This is our home as well, and whether you accept it or not, you and Anakin are a part of this team."

As Ahsoka gave Michiru an inscrutable look, their resident Nova Centurion chimed in. "Now look. I can understand why you're so protective of Anakin," Sango began in a gentle manner, clad in the standard garb of a Nova Centurion and with a more advanced boomerang mounted on her back that was marked with the triple sun motif of the Nova Corps. "I've been there myself. I've told you about my brother, Kohaku. And what Naraku did to him."

"Then you have to understand why I can't let you interfere with my master's efforts to free himself from what Palpatine did to him," Ahsoka continued, her tone softening somewhat. "You understand what he's suffering through, knowing what he is capable of. And what Palpatine's taint has twisted his powers into."

"I understand how you feel. And there were times that I felt like I had no choice but to take matters into my own hands," Sango admitted. "And at some points...I felt like I had no choice but to take Kohaku's life myself. Just to keep him from hurting...those I loved." At this point, Michiru moved to place a comforting hand on the former Demon Slayer's shoulder, prompting her to look his way and give a tiny smile of appreciation. "But I learned the hard way that trying to do things by myself wasn't helping me or Kohaku," she continued, returning her attention to Ahsoka. "Like Michiru said; we're a team. But neither you or Anakin have been acting that way. At some point, each and every one of us has offered to try and help you both in some way. And every time, he's cut himself off from us while you've been helping him to -"

"Because there is _nothing_ you can do to help!" Ahsoka retorted with some of her previous exasperation. "What my master is struggling with and what your brother went through are two completely different things! Even when under Naraku's control, your brother was still a simple boy without any abilities beyond the use of his weapons! My master has become a _force of nature,_ always struggling to rein in his powers! With Palpatine's taint always looking for an opportunity to finish that which Palpatine himself began and turn him to the Dark Side of the Force! And my master is the _only one_ who can overcome it!"

"That might be true, but even so, that doesn't mean there isn't something that we or someone else can do to help," came the voice of a soft-spoken archer whose Energy Bow was slung on his back. "Have you ever considered consulting with a telepath? Like an alt of Professor Xavier?"

As Ahsoka scowled somewhat, clone Mari sighed as she studied their Hawkeye in residence. His name was Hank, and he was about as close to the stereotypical All-American good guy in appearance as it got; blonde, blue eyes, handsome and well-built. The whole nine yards and then some, to the point that she bet that he would fit right in wearing a Captain America outfit. He was also cool, composed, and able to smooth things over when Mari tended to ruffle feathers.

 _Of course, he's had lots of practice with that,_ Mari was forced to admit, knowing full well Hank's background. How he and five of his friends had gotten aboard the Dungeons  & Dragons Ride at some amusement park, but instead of fun and games, they had been catapulted into the Realm. A land of monsters, orcs, demons, wizards, and fittingly enough, dungeons and dragons. He had soon proven a master of his Energy Bow, able to use the magic arrows it fired with absolute precision. He had also proven himself a capable leader and had succeeded in helping his friends escape the Realm.

But their liberty from the world of dungeons and dragons had only been a brief respite, for the aged wizard known as the Dungeon Master had soon appeared in their own world, and told them they needed to gain new power for both themselves and their weapons in order to defeat a great evil that threatened many, many worlds. Weapons that had been rendered powerless with their arrival on Earth. And so the six youths had been given a new quest to empower themselves and their weapons, one that had taken them across their native world. And over the course of that quest...

"Hank's right, Ahsoka," seconded Diana, an attractive African-American woman with curly hair. Who presently stood at about eight feet tall, boasted huge musculature, and dark green skin. She was also garbed in a fur bikini, fur woven boots, a golden headband, armbands, and some other jewelry. And in her hand, she held the Javelin Staff, which glowed a potent green and sported golden tips. "I've heard that telepaths have had great luck dealing with stuff like that. Why not give it a try?"

Mari had to admit to a touch of envy for all the muscle Diana sported, and there was no doubt that the acrobat enjoyed all that physical might. She had been transformed as a result of one of the trials set upon them by Dungeon Master in her native verse when creatures from the Realm had escaped to Earth and had sent a nuclear power plant into a meltdown. One of the band of adventurers had had to do something, and Diana had set it upon herself to grab a radiation suit and try and stop the destruction. But during that misadventure, the Javelin Staff had been supercharged and transformed by the radioactivity in the power plant, making it even more powerful than ever. And since Diana had been holding it, trying to stop the meltdown, the power it had absorbed had also fed into her, transforming her into almost half a ton of gamma-powered muscle. And since that day, Diana had made it clear through her actions that she vastly preferred her gamma-mutated form to that of her ordinary human body.

 _Not that I blame her,_ Mari couldn't help but think as she studied the massively built woman who had taken the moniker of Gammazon while fighting evil in her native verse. _I mean...I know I'm a lot stronger than a lot of people, but...I have to admit that I wouldn't mind giving the gamma look a try..._

"The Jedi Council made such an attempt before my master was even sent into exile! And it almost drove them to the madness of the Sith!" Ahsoka hotly protested. "No! I...I understand that you...mean well. But this is how it _has_ to be! If you just leave my master alone -!"

"That's not an option," clone Mari flatly declared, having had her fill with the former Jedi apprentice. "It stopped being an option the instant he almost killed me and four Champions." As Ahsoka turned a look of shock at the Super Soldier, she went on to say, "If he blew up once, he might do it again. And the next time it happens, we might not be so lucky."

"Hate to admit it, but she has a point," Arcee muttered beneath her mask. "No matter how you put it, Anakin's dangerous, both to himself and the rest of us. Just letting him do his own thing isn't working."

"And what would you have him do?!" Ahsoka demanded, looking increasingly frustrated. "We don't dare allow telepaths to enter his thoughts! If the taint of Palpatine were to assert itself, their minds could be destroyed! Or worst!"

"Maybe so, but I think Anakin's chances of cleansing himself look a lot better if he has some help," clone Mari stated. "And I'm not going to sit around and let you two keep doing things the way you've been doing them. You've brushed off every attempt we've made to help you, you've been a complete dick to everyone in general and me in particular, and now we almost had people die because of Anakin's lack of control." When Ahsoka turned towards the shadow clone with a look of subdued anger on her face, Mari continued with, "I know that Anakin never answers his ID Card, so I'm telling you to tell him that I'm ordering intervention for him. Because him sitting around in that meditation pod clearly isn't doing the job."

Several seconds passed in the wake of these words, during which Ahsoka considered the shadow clone. But after a time, she eventually nodded. "I will deliver this message." An instant later, she went on to add, "But I will tell you now that neither myself nor my master will heed your words, nerf herder."

Feeling as if she had precisely one functioning nerve left in her body and that Ahsoka had just stomped on it, Mari countered, "That's _Captain_ to you, Ahsoka! And this is not a request! It's an _order!"_

"And it's an order that neither of us will listen to," Ahsoka countered. "Not only are you trying to force my master to endanger his sanity and the wellbeing of everyone here, but you...you are not someone I would _ever_ take orders from."

"Ahsoka, hold on," Michiru began.

"She is not a leader!" Ahsoka went on, glaring daggers at Mari. "We all know that much! Her being put in a position of command was a horrendous mistake based on the favoritism of her 'uncle'!"

"On that, we agree!" Zuko sneered derisively. "But even so, that doesn't change the fact that -!"

"Now hold it right there!" clone Mari broke in, having hit the limits of her tolerance. "I get that you don't have any use for me! And like I said before, I can understand why all of you might have doubts in my abilities! But this isn't up for debate! Whether or not Anakin intended it, he nearly killed me and four Champions! And I can't let that slide!"

"And I won't let you do _anything_ that would make it harder for my master to purge himself, nerf herder!" While clone Mari was resisting the urge to throw up her arms in disgust, Ahsoka went on to explain, "You might think yourself a warrior, but you...the members of the Jedi Order train all their lives so that they could protect the galaxy! Clone troopers, Jedi, soldiers, all of them disciplined and capable fighters! But you?! You're neither disciplined nor capable! You're impulsive, overemotional...you're like a delinquent Corellian! And you're completely out of your depth and incapable of handling the responsibilities before you!"

"Not gonna argue with that," Panthro grumbled.

Stung by this remark, clone Mari was sorely tempted to make a nasty remark at the Thunderian's expense. But before she could open her mouth, Ahsoka continued. "Now I made the mistake of abandoning my master once. And we've all seen the results of that!" she declared, her voice increasingly vehement. "In so many universes, my departing the Jedi Order was soon followed by my master succumbing to Palpatine's manipulations and the Dark Side of the Force! The name of Anakin Skywalker has become synonymous with the Sith and all of its cruelty! But in those universes where I had _remained_ with the Order -!"

"Wait, hold on," Jack broke in, starting somewhat. "Ahsoka, are you saying that - you think that this _your_ fault? That Anakin wouldn't have...?"

Pausing to look back at Jack, Ahsoka's expression softened somewhat. "I don't know. All I know is that I abandoned my master and left him to face the demons Palpatine had sown in his heart. And possibly made them even worse in doing so." A few seconds passed before she added, "And when I learned of what happened to him, I swore that I would be there at his side as he fought to purge himself. Always ready to...to do what I had to." Then Ahsoka's expression hardened once more as she turned towards clone Mari once more. "And I did not subject myself to the Jedi Council's treatments, risked losing my mind as they empowered my body and spirit all for the sake of my master, just so that some ignorant nerf herder who knows nothing of the living Force and treats the powers she's cultivated like they were her personal playthings can squander his efforts through her foolishness and ineptitude!"

"Ahsoka -!" clone Mari started, gritting her teeth.

"We are done," Ahsoka declared before Mari could get another word out. "Now, if you'll excuse me...I must tend to my master."

And without another word, Ahsoka turned on her heel and departed the Assembly Hall. Leaving both Avengers and Champions alike to stare in confused amazement and frustration. With all of them looking about at each for a time until Asuka Marvel grumbled, "Well, you sure showed her, didn't you...nerf herder."

Wanting nothing more than to shove her fist down the redhead's throat and rip out her intestines before doing the same to Ahsoka, clone Mari groaned heavily in her throat. "I'm going to be talking to the people back at the Tower about this later," she muttered sourly. "For now, let's just get to work. Mr. Evans, please hand out the assignments so we can finish the Mansion up."

As clone Mari sat down at the table, considering removing her helmet so she could massage her aching forehead, she became aware that no one was moving. Frowning somewhat, she paused to study both the Avengers and the Champions gathered around her, blinking perplexedly. "Uh..." she began, not sure what was wrong, "Mr. Evans? The assignments?"

Again, nobody moved. Nobody did a blasted thing but stand there, looking at Mari and each other. "Your Captain just gave you an order," Maria declared, speaking as she would as Thunderstrike. "Please carry it out."

Princess Mari is right, Ax seconded even as he scanned the others present with his stalk eyes. We need to get to work.

Still, nobody responded. And they continued to do so until at last Asuka rolled her eyes skyward and muttered, "Alright, Champions, let's just do this and get it over with. The sooner we get this done and get out of here, the better."

This time, the Champions responded. And as they began making their way towards the foreman, clone Mari surveyed her own team. Only to find that most of them weren't moving yet.

As Mari continued to sit there, Maria cleared her throat and tried again. "Avengers, we need to get to work."

This time, a couple moved. Ax was first, and a couple others like Al, Glitter, Mana, Michiru, Sango, and Danny moved to join the Champions in getting their assignments. But the rest of the team just stood there, directing looks at Mari. At least until Slaughter declared, "Right, people! Let's do this! This place isn't gonna finish building itself!"

"Right!" Panthro seconded as he started forward, moving with the self-assurance of a king. "If we're gonna do this...then let's _do it!"_

This time, the rest of the Avengers present responded, including Mr. Evans. And as clone Mari looked on at her own team, she struggled to hold back a groan of dismay.

 _This is insane. I can barely get my own team to listen to a word I say, and yet all those two jerks have to do is give 'em a look and they fall in line no problem!_ clone Mari sourly thought as her team started about their duties. _Ugh...maybe Ahsoka's got a point about me..._

As this dismal thought hung over clone Mari's head, she lowered her eyes to the Assembly Hall table. And just sat there for a time, listening to the others file out on their way to do their jobs. And continued to sit there until at last a voice piped up. "Uh...excuse me, Captain Makinami?"

Not able to remember the last time anyone called her by her title at the moment, clone Mari looked up to see that some of her team still remained. Maria was there, as was Ax. In addition, there were three others, including Hank and Diana. Wondering why they had stayed behind, clone Mari asked, "What is it?"

A beat passed as Hank and Diana exchanged looks. Right before the third of that unlikely trio gave her a compassionate look and said, "Look, girl...we all know that you're trying hard. But man...do you really think you should be putting yourself through this?"

Frowning slightly, clone Mari studied the speaker; an alt of Mr. T who was a former gymnastics coach. During one of his escapades with his gymnastics team, he had wound up in a major accident that had resulted in him gaining greatly enhanced strength, unbreakable skin, and other powers that fell in line with Luke Cage alts. And despite the fact that he looked every bit the Scary Black Man trope, Mari had learned he was a very caring person...who had a great many problems with the way things were done in the Core Timeline.

"What do you mean?" clone Mari blankly wondered.

"Yes, that's a very good question," Maria intoned, giving Mr. T a suspicious look.

"Ain't it obvious?" Mr. T returned, gesturing at clone Mari with an imploring look on his face. "The kid's been running herself ragged, trying to deal with everything that's been going on! And so far, most of the folks here just ignore her, look down upon her - it ain't right!"

And what do you suggest? Ax wondered, all four eyes directed at Mr. T.

"I'm saying that - look, I know that this crew started off with Mari as the leader! And I know she's been working herself to the ground, trying to keep everything together!" Mr. T assured them. "But putting all of that responsibility on a _kid_ \- that's just wrong!"

"I agree with Mr. T," Hank nodded somberly. Something that caused Mari to wince in pain.

"Et tu, Hank?" clone Mari groaned in response.

"Hey, hold on! We're not saying that you're a bad leader! Or that you're not trying or anything like that!" Hank explained as he carefully approached. "It's just...I know how hard it is to be a leader. Especially when you don't have any experience or are dealing with a bad situation."

Directing a scowl at Hank, Maria reached up and grabbed the pendant that was Storm Bringer's mortal form. "Speak carefully, archer."

Diana hoisted up her Javelin Staff, but before she could do more than scowl, Hank waved her down. "It's alright, Diana," he assured her, smiling confidently. When the acrobatic gamma mutant settled down, the blonde archer continued. "Now...like I said. I know how hard it can be to be in charge of everything. Heck, I've been there!" Pausing to heave a deep breath, he went on to say, "I still remember when Diana and I and all the others first landed in the Realm. It was just the six of us for the most part, plus Uni, and...wow. I still remember all the fighting and arguing we got into at first."

"I'll bet," clone Mari admitted, already knowing where this was going.

"When that happened, I...I did my best for the others. Helped them as best as I could, comforted them...and before long, they were looking to me to lead the way," Hank went on in a caring voice. "And I can't tell you all the times I was worried that I would wind up making a bad choice, do something that would get them hurt...or worse. And then there were all those times that we _almost_ got home..."

A sorrowful whimper was heard, followed by a large bulldog with a mohawk moving to lick Hank in the face. "Hey, cut it out, Dozer!" Hank protested as Mr. T's pet licked him. "I didn't mean to make you sad or anything!"

"Dozer! Get over here, boy!" Mr. T commanded, an order the super strong bulldog quickly heeded.

Pausing just long enough to wipe away the remaining dog slobber, Hank sighed and returned to the subject at hand. "Now like I said; I did what I had to because no one else would. Because for the most part, there was no one else we could turn to. But I have to be honest with you; if there _had_ been someone else there to take care of us, show where we should go, I...I can't tell you what a relief that would've been." A few seconds passed in silence before he went on to say, "So I know what you must've gone through when you and Maria landed in this world. How hard it was to get by here, just the two of you."

"Three, actually," clone Mari interjected. When Hank and the others gave her a look of surprise, she elaborated with, "We still had Tai. I mean, sure, he's the AI from the _American Dream,_ but...he was still a big help."

"Very true," Maria nodded in agreement.

Blinking a few times, Hank then smiled. "I'm sure he was. But my point is...I can understand how you wound up the leader of this team. And you've been doing a good job. Maria, Mana, Al, Glitter...they've had nothing but good things to say about you." At this point, Hank's smile faded somewhat. "But at the same time...there _are_ more experienced people on the team now. So maybe for your sake -"

"Archer..." Maria began, again tugging at her crucifix.

"Hey, hang on, Maria!" Mr. T protested. "I hear what Hank's saying! We're not saying that Mari isn't a good leader! But she's still just a kid like you are! And no kid should have to deal with this kind of responsibility!" Then he paused to scowl and grumble, "Heck, I can't believe that all these hero groups and the rest of them go around using kids to fight wars and all the rest of it! They should be at school, playing games and just...being kids, man!"

Heaving a sigh at this, clone Mari looked at the African-American man in grateful understanding. "I appreciate what you're saying, Big T...but I haven't the luxury of just being just a kid since SHIELD came knocking on my doors and told me that they were making me a Super Soldier, like it or not."

"And I've never had that luxury at all," Maria pointed out. "I grew up with NERV, training to be an Eva pilot. And as for my birth parents..."

"Hey, I hear that! But still, you and Maria shouldn't have had to live the way you did!" Mr. T retorted.

"We shouldn't have...but we still had to," Maria replied with a faint scowl. "And Mari -"

"Mari kept things together for you! The same way Hank did for us!" Diana broke in. "We're not saying that she's a bad person or even a bad leader! But look at all the pressure she's been under with everything that's been happening!"

"Diana's right," Hank nodded solemnly. "Now your team needed a leader, so you decided to be that leader. And I completely understand. But now...things are different. So maybe for your sake...you should stand down. Let someone else take over for you."

At this confirmation of her suspicions, clone Mari groaned sourly. "If you want this job, Hank, then you'll have to get in line. Because several others have been staking a claim to it."

"I never said that I wanted to take over," Hank quickly assured her. "But - it's like what you said before; you've been trying to earn everyone's trust, but you haven't had a real chance to do that. And I know just how hard that can be. On top of that...I learned the hard way that it takes a long time to learn how to be a leader. And it's not easy; you're always worrying if you've made the right decision, if going this way or that is the best way to do something...or if the next choice you make will be the one that ends up in someone you care for getting hurt. Or worse. And while you might have a good amount of fighting experience...I just don't think that you're ready for the kind of burden that being a leader is." A beat passed before he admitted, "I know I sure wasn't. Not at first. And even after we got home, I..."

As Hank trailed off, memories of times past flitting past his eyes, clone Mari sighed heavily. _If he doesn't want to be a leader, then why the hell does he have to sound so_ perfect _for the job?!_ she demanded inwardly. For while it was completely irrational, she couldn't help but feel frustrated at how smoothly Hank had handled this. He had broached his concerns and made his suggestions, all without making a complete jerk of himself or casting doubt on Mari's admittedly limited abilities. _Fuck...seriously, I bet he'd look better in the red, white, and blue than I do..._

Even as clone Mari wrestled with this situation, Maria scowled some more. "Even assuming we agreed with you - which we do not - who would you have take Mari's place?" she wondered in a deceptively mild tone. "It was agreed when we first established this Mansion that the Extraordinary Avengers had to be capable of being self-governing. That we had to have at least one branch functioning as an independent entity, without the leadership of the more 'traditional' versions of the Avengers."

"Hey, I know that!" Diana quickly protested. "Just like I know that there are plenty of 'vanilla' Avengers who don't like the idea of 'bad copies' of them doing their own thing! And they'd love any excuse to put a glass ceiling on the Extraordinary Avengers!"

"Exactly. At the very least, there are enough Avengers who feel that way to cause us trouble. And such an attitude could ruin the Extraordinary Avengers program even before it can be fully established," Maria confirmed, drifting once more into her more formal speech as Thunderstrike. "So even if you're right and that Mari should stand down...who would take her place? Slaughter? He's a drill sergeant, not a full commander. Panthro? I've already had my fill of his arrogance! Zuko? He is angry, conceited, and far too full of himself!" Then she turned her eyes towards Hank, eyes that then narrowed, "So unless you have someone else in mind... "

"I already told you; I'm not after Mari's job," Hank reiterated, holding up his hands before him. "And you're right in that we are kind of short on possible replacements. However...I have heard about some good possibilities back at the Tower, new recruits to the Extraordinary Avengers. People with command experience. So perhaps they can send someone here who could take over for Mari."

As much as clone Mari wanted to deny it, she found herself feeling awfully tempted. After all of the grief and misery she had had heaped upon her since coming to Chicago, there was a part of her that would like nothing more than to just wash her hands of it all.

But at the same time...

"Hank, I...look, I get that you're trying to help me out here. And I appreciate that," clone Mari assured him in a tired manner. "But...even if I was willing to drop the leadership ball in someone else's lap, this is quite possibly the absolute worst time for that. We have a potential impending crisis and all of the rest of it - the last thing we need is to start asking ourselves who's in charge." Pausing to heave a weary breath, the shadow clone went on to say, "Look...I'm having a lousy time with all of this bullsh-"

"Ahem," Mr. T began, fixing Mari with a deadly scowl.

Wincing at this reminder of Mr. T's opinion of her potty mouth, clone Mari again groaned. "I'm having a lousy time with all of this," she tried again, with the large black man nodding to this. "But even if I were to decide to hand the reigns over to someone else...it sure wouldn't be now. I - whatever else I am, I'm sure not a big enough b- _jerk_ to just leave office without cleaning up this mess." A beat passed before she again focused on Hank. "So do me a favor and allow me the dignity of cleaning up my house before handing over the keys to somebody else. Alright?"

A few seconds passed as Hank and the others considered this. With Mr. T giving a thoughtful snort and saying, "Well...I might not like that potty mouth of yours, girl...but at least you've got a good sense of responsibility."

"Yeah. And...to be honest, I don't think I'd be comfortable with turning over command to someone else with everything that's happening, either," Hank admitted with a sad smile. "Alright, Mari. I'm okay with that. But...just keep in mind that _everyone_ on this team is important. And that includes you. And I don't think it'd be fair to have you burning yourself out for the rest of us."

"Thanks," clone Mari replied in a tired manner. "I appreciate that."

Smirking somewhat, Diana shifted her hips and added, "At least you're doing better than a certain guy who also carries a shield would be doing. I can just imagine how Eric would be complaining if he was in your boots!"

Snorting a tired laugh, clone Mari then eyed the gamma mutant and replied, "Well, to be fair, if I was trapped in a homicidal fairytale world where pretty much everything was trying to kill me and the only guidance I got was from a demented magical gnome with a Yoda complex, I'd probably be complaining and swearing up a storm!"

Maria and Mr. T gave a chuckle while Hank and Diana just smiled. Only for them all to be cut off when an elderly voice said, "A demented magical gnome with a Yoda complex? My word."

Clone Mari practically jumped out of her seat as she whirled about to face the speaker. And she was not the only one astonished by the sight of a diminutive old man seated in another of the chairs. He was garbed in red robes and was bald, save for lengthy white hair trailing off from the back of his head. And as he sat there, a puckish smile marked his face.

"No way!" Diana cried out.

"It can't be!" Hank seconded. Then he and Diana exclaimed as one, _"Dungeon Master?!"_

"Greetings, Ranger, Acrobat," the old man that could only an alt of Dungeon Master greeted them.

"How in the holy mother of fuck did you get in here?!" clone Mari swore as she stared at the old man. She had had no warning, had sensed absolutely nothing to indicate Dungeon Master's presence before he had spoken. "JARVIS, what the hell is going on?! _Tell me_ you didn't miss him somehow teleporting in here like it was nothing!"

"My apologies, Captain Makinami," JARVIS apologetically replied. "But my internal security systems seem to be fluctuating. I honestly don't know what the problem is."

Then how did this old man get inside the Mansion without any of us seeing him? Ax demanded, his tail at the ready and his sword in hand. Princess Mari -

"Hey, relax, everyone!" Diana told them in a soothing manner. "Dungeon Master isn't any threat!"

"Assuming that he _is_ Dungeon Master," Maria pointed out, removing her crucifix pendant. "If he's an imposter..."

A beat passed as Hank suddenly frowned. "Maria has a point," he reluctantly admitted. "I mean - no offense, Dungeon Master, but - how did you even get here?!"

"No offense taken, Ranger. But before we continue, I must admit that I am not the Dungeon Master you once knew," the aged wizard admitted, his expression saddening somewhat. Then he smiled a bit more and added, "However, it is always a pleasure to find alternates of my students and see them doing well for themselves." A beat passed before he turned his eyes to Diana and admitted, "Although...I must admit that the Acrobat I once knew was not nearly as...robust as you are, my dear."

Snorting a laugh, Diana then moved to flex a mountainous bicep. "Yeah. I don't care what anybody says; gamma is a girl's best friend!"

"In any case, it is a pleasure to see you both doing well." Then Dungeon Master's expression turned serious as he went on to add, "However, my visit is not a casual one. For a great many dangers face both you and your team."

"Oh, boy. As Eric might have said, 'Dungeon Master has bad news?! Call the newspapers! It's a major story!'," Hank muttered good-naturedly. "So what is it, Dungeon Master?"

"Yeah! I mean - we already know we're in trouble!" clone Mari declared, having recovered from her surprise but not her annoyance that someone could just poof into the Mansion without warning. "Our own Sorcerer Supreme already gave us a cryptic warning about the trouble we're in!"

"Yes, I am aware that your Magician has gained insight into _one_ of the great dangers facing you," Dungeon Master confirmed. "However, that is not the only threat that is confronting you and your team of Avengers."

What other threat are you speaking of? Ax wondered, pausing to sheathe his sword.

"There are two other dangers presently facing your team. Threats that could destroy the Extraordinary Avengers program and end all of the good that you and they will do in the future before you can even begin to do so," Dungeon Master explained even as he focused his gaze on clone Mari. "One of them...Captain Makinami already knows of."

At these words, clone Mari couldn't help but cringe. Just like that, she knew precisely what the ancient mage was speaking of.

Last night, two murders had taken place in Indianapolis. The victims had been an amalgam of Sarai Kurosawa and Bane and an honest security guard that had been luckless enough to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. As bad as this was on its own, however, it was a much greater problem for Mari personally. For when Uncle Steve had contacted her the previous night, he had informed her that the murderer had been someone who not only looked exactly like Mari, but clearly had at least some of the same skills when it came to fighting, chi manipulation, and more.

"Captain Makinami knows of...Mari, is there something else going on?" Maria demanded, suddenly sounding rather cross.

Groaning heavily at how she had been put on the spot by the miserable little gnome, clone Mari groaned heavily before explaining, "Uncle Steve contacted me about a...situation last night."

"What is it?!" Maria demanded, giving Mari a serious look. "Mari, if you're in trouble, then please, tell me!"

"At the moment, your friend is in no peril," Dungeon Master assured them all. "However, in regards to this matter, I feel it best if I speak with Captain Makinami alone."

"You sure about that, Dungeon Master?" Diana wondered.

Nodding, Hank added, "Yeah! I mean, if there's anything we can do to help -!"

"Your offer is well appreciated, Ranger, but...I fear this matter is out of all your hands. For each of you have burdens of your own to face. And a great task that must be accomplished," Dungeon Master informed them. "Now, if you don't mind, I would like to speak with Captain Makinami alone."

Both Hank and Diana exchanged looks of concern at this, but eventually they both nodded. "Alright, then," the archer finally conceded. "But, Mari? If there is anything going on, and you need any help -"

"That's what I should be saying!" Maria declared as she marched up to clone Mari. "Mari, what _is_ going on?! If you're in some kind of trouble, then _please_ tell me about it!"

A few seconds passed as clone Mari considered the matter. On the one hand, the matter of her imposter was yet another thing that she didn't need the others finding out about. The last thing she needed was to lose more of their trust.

But at the same time...after everything she and Maria had been through together...

"My apologies, Ms. Vincennes. But...what I have to say is for Captain Makinami's ears alone," Dungeon Master declared, much to everyone's surprise. "Please, do me the courtesy of letting me speak with her in private."

"But -!" Maria started. Only to stop when clone Mari placed a hand on her shoulder. "Mari -!"

"Relax, Goldilocks. I'll give you the lowdown once I'm done speaking with his Dungeon Masterness," clone Mari assured her. "I'm sure it won't take long. Alright?"

Maria made a face at this. A face that made it clear she wasn't happy about being left out of whatever was going on. "This better not be as serious as it sounds."

"Actually...it kinda is," clone Mari deliberately understated. "But for what it's worth, I didn't mention it before because I found about it when I was already half-asleep. And with all the 'fun' I've been having, trying to keep on top of things..."

It was obvious that Maria didn't buy this. At least not completely. She and Mari had known each other for the shadow clone to fool her with bullshit. But eventually, the blonde sighed and nodded. "I'll be waiting right outside for you to get done," she declared in a no-nonsense manner. "But don't you _dare_ keep me in the dark! I wasn't there for you last Fourth of July; whatever's going on, I _will_ be there for you this time!"

"Like there was any doubt?" clone Mari replied. "Now go on! Get, all of you! That includes you, too, Ax!"

Very well, Princess Mari, Ax replied with a polite bow of his head. But please remember that Maria is not the only one you can upon if you are in need.

"Ax-man's right, kid!" Mr. T confirmed. "Whatever's going on, you don't have to go it alone!"

"That's right," Hank confirmed as Diana nodded. "Now let's get out of here. The sooner we give Mari and Dungeon Master some space, the sooner they finish talking about...whatever they need to talk about."

With that said, Hank, Diana, Ax, Mr. T, and Dozer made their way out of the Assembly Hall. Maria lingered for a short time, but soon she departed as well. Leaving clone Mari to turn and glare at Dungeon Master. "Alright, blabbermouth! You've got one minute to give me a damned good reason not to use you as a baseball and home run you after coming _this close_ to spilling the beans in front of Goldilocks and the others!"

"You would have had to tell them the truth, sooner or later," Dungeon Master pointed out. "Frankly, I find myself concerned that you show so little trust in your teammates."

"I asked for answers, not lectures," clone Mari sourly grumbled. "Now out with it! What is it that you know about - wait a second! JARVIS! Activate the white noise screens!"

"As you wish, Captain Makinami," JARVIS obediently replied.

"My goodness," Dungeon Master muttered, shaking his head in slow disapproval. "That you would go this far to keep this from your own team..."

"Alright, first of all, you're the one who wanted this little powwow to be private!" clone Mari retorted. "And second, yes, I _do_ trust my team! At least, everyone except the jerks who are making my life miserable or who're looking for an excuse to take over the team or both! Third, what exactly do you know about the phony baloney bitch who's pretending to be me?! And by my count, you have thirty seconds, so make it good!"

"Very well. I fear that, in order to spare your team the doom that those who plot against you have set in motion, you will have to go to Indianapolis yourself. You must seek out the one who wears your face." At this point, Dungeon Master's expression saddened. "However, I fear that you will be unable to conquer the enemy that you seek."

A few seconds passed before clone Mari was able to sputter out, "Wait - _what?!"_ Pausing to give a quick shake of her head, the shadow clone again focused her ire on the old mage. "But that doesn't make any sense at all! If I'm not going to be able to take this bitch down, then why the hell should I even bother going to Indianapolis in the first place?!"

"Because you can and _must_ defeat the enemy that you _don't_ seek," Dungeon Master calmly replied, still seated comfortably.

Wincing as a migraine set in, clone Mari found herself recalling some of the stories Hank and Diana had told about the Trickster Mentor. _"What_ enemy?! What are you talking about?!" the shadow clone demanded. "And - hold on! Why won't I be able to beat this bitch who's pretending to be me?!"

"Because time is on her side," Dungeon Master explained. While clone Mari was fighting the urge to tear her hair out, the aged mage went on to say, "But worry not, young one. There are those that will be able to win the battle you can't."

"What? You mean the Champions that got assigned to the case?!" clone Mari demanded, recalling the details that Uncle Steve had told her were on the case. "Look - even forgetting the fact that my faith in the Champions took a big hit when I found out about their plans to cash in on this stupid Fourth of July ceremony, which I can't forget - the Champions assigned are a Power Girl alt and a Saiyan! And if they bump into my double, and if she's as good as I am, then they're good as dead!"

"My word. That's a strong claim," Dungeon Master noted with a raised eyebrow. "Whatever makes you so certain of that?"

"Because, if it _were_ me who was doing all of this - which it _isn't!_ \- the very first thing I'd do is bone up on the local opposition! Any hero teams that I might wind up bumping into while out there!" clone Mari tersely explained. "And I'd be _especially_ certain to find out who was assigned to track me down, all so I could be prepared with a way of taking them down before they even knew what happened!"

"That would be a reasonable precaution," Dungeon Master conceded.

"On top of that, if this bitch knows enough of my moves, then she might not even need any extra prep!" Mari went on. "I developed several martial arts moves that were designed to either take down or mess up top tier metas! Some of which can be _lethal_ in the wrong hands! And Kryptonians just happened to be on the list of metas I cooked up moves for!"

"And Saiyans?" Dungeon Master asked in a manner that made it clear that he already knew the answer. "Did you develop such tactics for use against Saiyans?"

"No," clone Mari admitted. "I didn't have time to finish my research before we came out here. Besides, I decided to put Saiyans on the backburner after I found out that they lose all of their power when somebody squeezes their tails."

"Really?" Dungeon Master inquired with a clear sense of amusement. "That seems like an inconvenient weakness."

"I know, sounds ridiculous, but it's true! And I should know!" clone Mari declared. "I got into a scuffle with some jerk by the name of Raditz! He talked tough and acted all big and bad, but the instant I got hold of his tail, he crumpled like soggy toilet paper! Seriously, it was about the most pathetic thing I'd ever -!" Then the shadow clone cut herself off and glared once more at the old mage. "But - anyway! What makes you so certain that the Champions can handle this bitch?! Because they hit the jackpot in terms of superpowers?!"

"No, of course not," Dungeon Master assured her. "I've seen many a tyrant who was completely confident in their power. And yet were laid low by warriors whose cunning and bravery made up for any shortfalls they might have had in strength."

"Then what?!" clone Mari demanded, quickly losing what little patience remained to her. "What makes you so sure that they can handle my evil twin?!"

"Because not everything is as it first appears, Captain," Dungeon Master sagely replied. "You see weaknesses where there are none. And that is a failing that she who wears your face shares."

These words were the straw that broke clone Mari's back. "Alright, that _does it!"_ the shadow clone roared before slamming her fist down upon the Assembly Hall table. "You have been talking in riddles since you got here! And while Hank and Diana might be inclined to let you get away with that hoary mound of bullshit, _I'm_ not one of your students! And I don't have the time or the patience to deal with it! Now you clearly know a lot more about this mess than you're saying! So you're going to sit right there and start telling me what you know! In fact - !"

Without another word, clone Mari made a hand sign and concentrated. An instant later, two more shadow clones poofed into existence. While Dungeon Master looked on, noting, "Now, Captain Makinami -"

"No! I'm not putting up with this bullshit! And I know your MO!" the first clone Mari declared as the other shadow clones glared at Dungeon Master. "So I know that the very instant I so much as _blink,_ you'll be gone without a trace! Leaving me stuck with nothing to go on but a bunch of riddles that won't make an ounce of sense right up until the last minute or when it's already too late! But I'm not putting up with that bullshit! Not with _lives_ on the line! So spill it already!"

Blinking a few times at this, Dungeon Master glanced about the three shadow clones surrounding her. "Listen to me, Captain Makinami. I know that you're frustrated, even angry about events of recent. But I am well aware of the stakes involved. Far more than you may realize. However, there is a deeper danger brewing even as we speak. And whether or not you realize it, what is happening now will play into the threat posed by the Joker R gang."

Clone Mari was about to rebuke this, but another shadow clone spoke first. "Wait. You just said the Joker R gang. You didn't mention the Golden Four," the clone mused. "Does that mean that the Golden Four aren't planning on anything?"

"The Golden Four you speak of is no more," Dungeon Master flatly informed the shadow clones, taking them by surprise. "After the events of the previous Fourth of July, their Rally Vincent and May Hopkins abandoned Goldie Musou. Outraged as they were over her failure to warn them about your impending intervention."

Blinking a few times at this, clone Mari considered this tidbit and found that it made sense. She had heard rumors that the Golden Four had been in rough shape with infighting in the wake of that battle. But that they had broken up was still news. "So the Golden Four is out of the picture?"

"As a group, yes," Dungeon Master admitted. "However, I should warn you that the Rally and May I spoke of have since joined the Joker R gang. And just because two of her group have abandoned her, that does not mean that Goldie herself won't try to take advantage of their actions."

A beat passed before clone Mari managed a smile. "Well, it looks like you _can_ speak straight English after all!" she declared. "Now don't you stop! Give me some more info! Like on what Joker R's got cooking, as well as on Fake Me."

Dungeon Master hesitated a moment before slowly shaking his head. "I fear I cannot," he admitted, causing the clone Maris to stop smiling. "There is far more to this world than the evils you face now. Threats that remain unknown to you. Each of them building upon each other, taking a greater shape. A great game that -"

 _"This is not a game! This is life and death!"_ all three clone Maris roared, with the first one slamming her fists into the chair Dungeon Master sat upon. "Can't you get that through your goddamned head?! Now tell me what I have to do in order to help my team and stop this freak and Joker R!"

A few seconds passed as the furious shadow clone and ancient wizard looked at each other. "I will not tell you what you must do," Dungeon Master finally stated in a firm, immutable manner. "For this is but on trial, one of many that you will ultimately have to face and overcome. You and others whom you haven't even met must face your demons, and become stronger for it. And like my students -"

"They were _never_ your students! They were your _tools,_ plain and simple!" another clone Mari snapped out vehemently. "I've heard all the stories, you know! How you'd always send them into a bad situation, always dangling the possibility of getting back home in front of them as a motivation to do every little thing you told them to! And you always sent them along with a bunch of riddles that pretty much _guaranteed_ that they would either blow their chance of getting back or have to give it up for someone else!"

For the first time, Dungeon Master looked visibly stung. "What?! You -!"

"But that worked out just _great_ for you, didn't it?! After all, as long as your 'students' were completely dependent on you for any chance of escaping the Realm, you could pretty much get them to do whatever you wanted, go wherever you needed them to go! And I bet that every time you needed to comfort yourself about how you were using a bunch of desperate kids to do your dirty work, you just looked at all the good they were doing and told yourself it was just a necessary evil when I bet that you _never even asked if that was what they wanted!"_ clone Mari roared, her outrage and frustration finally finding a convenient target. "Well, I'm not your student or your tool or your weapon! I'm someone who's trying her best to protect those in need and do her job! And you are going to -!"

 _"Enough!"_ Dungeon Master shouted, and suddenly clone Mari found herself being blinded by a brilliant flash of light before being knocked to the ground. Two loud poofs followed by a surge of memories alerted her that her fellow shadow clones had been dissipated. As for the original shadow clone, she required a moment to recover before looking up to see the aged sorcerer approaching her. Magic in his hands and outrage in his expression.

Outrage that soon turned to sorrow as Dungeon Master lowered his gaze.

"You...your words are cruel...as the truth sometimes is," Dungeon Master slowly admitted. "I _did_ manipulate my students a great deal. And while I had the best of intentions...it is also true that I used their desire to return home to my advantage. And that, Captain...is the least of my failings." As clone Mari recovered and rose to her feet, the ancient mage again looked at her, sorrow upon his face. "No matter what you may think, I truly cared for _all_ of my students. But at the same time, I couldn't think of their welfare alone or even that of the Realm. There are much deeper forces at work, forces that I know all too well. And sometimes, in trying to deal with those forces...I made mistakes. With tragedy befalling others as a result."

Frowning somewhat, clone Mari then asked, "Then help me prevent more tragedies and tell me what I have to do!"

"I'm afraid that I can't. Only by following your heart and making the mistakes that you would make on your own will you learn the lessons and obtain that which you need in order to win both this battle and other, more dangerous battles to come," Dungeon Master insisted. As clone Mari felt her temper burning again, the aged mage held up his hand, "Including the lesson that you need to master above all. A lesson in trust."

Blinking a few times at this, clone Mari snorted in disbelief. "Look, I've already gotten the lecture on trust being a two-way street from my Uncle Steve! I don't need it from you as well!"

"Don't you? Why are you putting so many burdens on your shoulders alone, if you don't trust your team to handle them?" Dungeon Master inquired.

Stricken by this question, clone Mari recoiled somewhat before giving a quick shake of her head. "Look, it's not that I don't trust them!" she quickly protested. "But - I can barely work with them! I know I've screwed up here and there, and I really want to earn their trust! But I just haven't had the time to -!"

"And what makes you think that they don't trust you?" Dungeon Master inquired in a deceptively soft voice.

"What?!" clone Mari got out. "Are kidding me?! Clearly, you missed out on the fun meeting I had just before you showed up!"

"On the contrary, I am well aware of what happened during that meeting," Dungeon Master assured her. "But I didn't ask what made you think that they didn't trust in your abilities as a leader. I asked what made you think that they didn't trust _you?"_

As clone Mari was struggling with this particular bit of logic, the door to the Assembly Hall audibly slid open. "Mari?" came Maria's voice. "What's taking so long?"

"Goldilocks?!" clone Mari returned, turning to face her best friend. "Ugh, I'm sorry, but prying a straight answer out of this little troll is a -" An instant later, the shadow clone realized she had turned her eyes away from Dungeon Master. At which point she groaned in dismay. "Ugh...he's gone, isn't he?"

"Uh...yeah. Yeah, he is," Maria confirmed even as clone Mari turned towards where Dungeon Master had been. Sure enough, the diminutive mage was nowhere to be seen.

Heaving a deep groan of defeat, clone Mari looked at the ceiling. "JARVIS...I don't suppose there's even the slightest chance that you saw him leave, is there?"

"My apologies, Captain Makinami," JARVIS promptly replied with a tone of regret. "Security feeds are still fluctuating due to construction. He simply...disappeared."

"Great. Just perfect. Wonderful," clone Mari dismally muttered before sitting back down. "Aw, shitballs..."

"Mari, what's going on?" Maria continued as she approached clone Mari. "What's this problem you have that Dungeon Master mentioned?"

For a long second, clone Mari was seriously tempted to just disperse rather than deal with any more of this grief. But as she studied Maria and the clear concern she wore on her face, the shadow clone sighed heavily. "Alright, pull up a seat and I'll give you the bad news," she grumbled tiredly. "But you better brace yourself; the shit's _really_ been hitting the fan..."

* * *

"So you spent some time spying on fighting tournaments?" Ranma inquired even as he and Mari ate their morning repasts.

"Bingo," Mari confirmed. "With our new skills and abilities in martial arts and chi manipulation, we decided to pad our resume. So we started scouting all the big fighting tournaments. The World Warrior Tournament, Dead or Alive, King of Iron Fist, and more."

"Wow," Ranma remarked, raising an eyebrow. "Bet you picked up a lot of great moves."

"Well, not at first," Mari admitted with a touch of chagrin. "You see, while my copy ability let me copy the _physical_ moves of the fighters we scoped out, it didn't help me at all with chi attacks and moves like that at first. So before I could reliably copy things like ninjutsu and high-end chi abilities, I had to develop my ability to do stuff like sense chi and how it flows. And even then, I had to get it to work in synch with my copy ability before I could learn stuff that way."

Making a thoughtful noise at this, Ranma then decided, "Well, that couldn't have taken long."

"Oh, I wish!" Mari grumbled sourly. "But the truth is, even before SHIELD got their hands on me, I was better at physical stuff. Things where I have to quiet my mind and do meditation and stuff like that, those aren't my cup of tea." Then she made a face and added, "But sensing chi was something that I absolutely needed to pick up if I was going to be able to use my copy ability on high-end martial arts moves. So I worked my butt off, and...well, I'm still not great at it. I can't identify someone by their chi alone. But...I can sense chi well enough so that I can copy chi moves. But even then, I had to figure out how to synch my ability to sense chi with my copy ability."

"And how'd you do that?" Ranma wondered.

"Through trial and error." Then Mari grimaced and admitted, "Mostly error."

* * *

"C'mon, Chun Li! Do it again!" Mari pleaded beneath her breath as she hid in the back of the bleachers. Watching the fighters going at it in this latest tournament that she and Maria were scoping out. "No, not the Lightning Kick! I've already got that one! The Spinning Bird Kick! Show me the Spinning Bird Kick!"

Despite the fact that Chun Li couldn't hear Mari's plea, she seemed to respond to it nonetheless. "Spinning Bird Kick!" the Chinese martial artist called out before launching herself into one of her signature moves.

Absorbing physical aspects of the move, Mari tried to synchronize them with the sensations of chi she was sensing. Furrowing her brows in concentration, the Super Soldier went into action and emulated Chun Li's motions. "Spinning Bird - _ow!"_

Mari's attempt to shape her chi like Chun Li did ended in a dismal failure. Resulting in the Super Soldier crashing on her own head.

* * *

"Spinning Bird Kick!" the same Chun Li cried out as she faced down another opponent, an alt of Mai Shiranui.

"Alright, I think I've got it this time!" Mari grinned as she again studied the famed move. "Let's do this! Spinning Bird Ki- _iiieeeek!"_

While Mari was able to get up off the ground this time, her flight was horribly off-kilter and sent her into the framework of the bleachers. Resulting in the Super Soldier becoming a tangled mess amidst the metal beams.

* * *

"Oh, c'mon, _c'mon,_ Chun! I swear I've almost got it!" Mari pleaded as she continued to watch from the sidelines. They were getting close to the end of this day's fighting, and all she had to show from her efforts to master the Spinning Bird Kick was pain and humiliation. "Please, _Spinning Bird Kick!_ Just one more time...!"

Very seriously considering prayer at this point, Mari was brought up short when she saw Chun Li making some very familiar motions. Sucking in a gasp of anticipation, the Super Soldier focused her every sense on the Interpol agent as she cried out, "Spinning Bird Kick!"

And as Chun Li flipped over and spun through the air, Mari again studied her every motion and the sensations she was radiating. The Super Soldier took these things and combined them with what she had already seen and sensed. And feeling her heart pounding in her chest, she took a few tentative steps back. "Here goes everything!" Mari cried out before launching herself forward. "Spinning Bird Kick!"

Once more, Mari launched herself into the air and performed the inverted spin kick. And she wobbled. Her course was erratic at best.

But she still managed to come off her newly learned Spinning Bird Kick with a neat landing. And without crashing into anything. Which was all Mari needed to break out in a boisterous grin and jump for joy. "Yes! Another move down!"

* * *

"So it used to take you three tries to copy chi moves?" Ranma noted with an air of curiosity.

"Yeah. And at first, it took me even longer. My copy ability is good, but it's not the Sharingan Eye," Mari admitted with a groan. "Still, I stuck with it. Got better, learned some awesome moves...and at one particular tournament, I got _really_ lucky!"

"How so?" Ranma wondered.

"There was an alt of Naruto Uzamaki competing! A younger one, still in his early genin days!" Mari grinned deviously. "And there was one move that he just _loved_ to spam, so I had plenty of time to copy it!"

A noise of comprehension sounded in Ranma's throat at this. "Ah, so _that's_ how you picked up the Shadow Clone Jutsu." When Mari nodded, he then frowned and admitted, "But...with how much chi it uses, I don't see how you could get much mileage out of it in a fight."

"I never said I used it for _fighting,_ " Mari quickly pointed out. "You see, I - wha- I...oh, _shitballs..."_

"Huh?!" Ranma started, surprised by the way Mari's easygoing expression suddenly fell into dismal depression. "What is it?! What happened?!"

"I - ugh. It's...a long story, but...the shadow clone I sent off made more shadow clones, and two of them just got dispersed," Mari explained in a somber manner. "The result being that I just got an instant update on how well the meeting _didn't_ go..."

Groaning in comprehension, Ranma muttered, "That bad, huh?"

"Dissension in the ranks, the kewpie doll telling me where to shove it and me having no way of dealing with her or our Sentry in residence, more people saying that I should just quit and let someone else take over, plenty of jerks who'd be more than happy to try, and worse?" Mari groaned despondently. "Yeah...so far, breakfast with you has been the only high point to the day. And I don't see that changing anytime soon..."

Knowing that feeling painfully well, Ranma heaved a deep sigh. "Then we might as well make sure that this high point lasts as long as we can make it," he told his fellow fighter. "So, you were saying...you used Shadow Clone Jutsu for something other than fighting? What did you mean? Spying?"

"Hmm?" Mari stirred, looking confusedly at Ranma. "Uh, no. Not spying, either. Well, _sometimes_ spying, but not often." Pausing to heave a deep breath, she then gave a weak smile before admitting, "But...well, there was this one time when Goldilocks and I were in Detroit..."

* * *

Author's Notes: It's been a while and life is still kicking me in the nads hard and many times over. Also, I've been having some anxiety issues that I'm trying to resolve. But I'm presently doing my best to get things going again and am presently working on my SOE stories and more. I hope to have much more in the way of updates up in the near future, and more stories and so on for all of you to enjoy. So wish me luck on that!


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